• EU commissioner first to boycott Ukraine football games

    Updated: 2012-04-30 08:29:44
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence The 70,000-capacity Olympiysky stadium in Kiev , Yanukovych's Euro2012 showpiece was expected to see him watch games alongside EU leaders Photo : EUobserver.com EU commissioner first to boycott Ukraine football games Today 09:29

  • Greece opens first migrant detention centre

    Updated: 2012-04-30 08:28:03
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence Greece set up its first detention centre for migrants on 29 April Photo : UNHCR Greece opens first migrant detention centre Today 09:28 Related Greece to complete anti-migrant wall very shortly' By Nikolaj Nielsen BRUSSELS Greece

  • [Ticker] Juncker to try to convince Hollande on fiscal pact

    Updated: 2012-04-30 08:09:49
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker Juncker to try to convince Hollande on fiscal pact Today 09:09 By EUOBSERVER Eurozone chief Jean-Claude Juncker will try to convince French frontrunner Francois Hollande not to re-open the treaty on fiscal

  • [Ticker] Irish in favour of fiscal pact ahead of referendum

    Updated: 2012-04-30 07:55:24
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker Irish in favour of fiscal pact ahead of referendum Today 08:55 By EUOBSERVER About 47 of Irish voters would support the German-led treaty on fiscal discipline , ahead of a referendum on 31 May , according to

  • [Ticker] Ashton urges Burma to stick to democracy reforms

    Updated: 2012-04-30 07:54:31
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker Ashton urges Burma to stick to democracy reforms Today 08:54 By EUOBSERVER EU's top diplomat Catherine Ashton Saturday urged Burma to make irreversible political reforms and called for an end to ethnic

  • [Ticker] Amnesty International: Muslims in Europe widely discriminated

    Updated: 2012-04-30 07:54:01
    : Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker Amnesty International : Muslims in Europe widely discriminated Today 08:54 By EUOBSERVER Amnesty International released a report on Tuesday exposing the impact of discrimination Muslims face in Europe because

  • [Ticker] Tens of thousands protest in Spain against austerity

    Updated: 2012-04-30 07:52:55
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker Tens of thousands protest in Spain against austerity Today 08:52 By EUOBSERVER Tens of thousands protested in Spain on Sunday against the recently adopted 20AC 10bn budget cuts , particularly affecting

  • [Video] 'We still want change'

    Updated: 2012-04-30 07:50:01
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Let's talk about EU Video We still want change' Today 08:50 Related After 2000km , indignants' receive frosty welcome in Brussels A coffee with MEP Raul Romeva about the indignants' movement in Spain EU commission willing to meet Indignados' in Brussels By Méabh Mc Mahon Photo : EUobserver People from all over the world are expected to

  • The euro is a recessionary mechanism

    Updated: 2012-04-29 12:50:12
    Sunday 29 April 2012 Blog Feed All feeds Website of the Telegraph Media Group with breaking news , sport , business , latest UK and world news . Content from the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers and video from Telegraph . TV Home News Sport Finance Comment Blogs Culture Travel Lifestyle Fashion Tech Dating Offers Jobs UK World Politics Obituaries Education Earth Science Defence Health News Royal Family Celebrities Weird News Blogs Home News Politics Daniel Hannan Daniel Hannan Daniel Hannan is a writer and journalist , and has been Conservative MEP for South East England since 1999. He speaks French and Spanish and loves Europe , but believes that the European Union is making its constituent nations poorer , less democratic and less . free The euro is a recessionary

  • `Sustainable energy` just isn`t... well, sustainable

    Updated: 2012-04-27 22:22:13
    . , Home News News Sustainable energy` just isn`t . well , sustainable News Sustainable energy` just isn`t . well , sustainable 27 04 2012 21:22 webmaster 23 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds Roger Helmer MEP I've just returned from a flying visit to Vaasa , Finland , with the European Energy Forum . nbsp The delegation was led by Slovenian MEP Romana Jordan pictured , with Roger Helmer , 25.04.2012 Vaasa boasts an energy cluster of cutting-edge companies in the energy field , and we spent a very solid day with Wärtsilä , a global Finnish company developing and making very large internal combustion engines . nbsp These have been widely used in shipbuilding , where the company has a substantial market share , and has production and assembly operations around the world , including key ship-building

  • EU ministers back new bill to help victims of crime

    Updated: 2012-04-27 17:43:30
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence Parvanova : Women are particularly exposed to hidden and unreported forms of violence' Photo : West Midlands Police EU ministers back new bill to help victims of crime 27.04.12 18:43 Related Sales of women and girls booms in Europe

  • This WEEK in the European Union

    Updated: 2012-04-27 17:42:37
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Agenda Greece will have its first election since the financial crisis began to shake the country Photo : John D . Carnessiotis , Athens , Greece This WEEK in the European Union 27.04.12 18:42 Related This WEEK in the European Union Sarkozy wants new role for euro bank By Honor Mahony BRUSSELS Business will tick over as usual in Brussels

  • Anti-Tymoshenko party hires top PR firm in EU capital

    Updated: 2012-04-27 17:31:18
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence Tymoshenko in court last year Photo : byut.com.ua Anti-Tymoshenko party hires top PR firm in EU capital 27.04.12 18:31 Related Ukraine steps up anti-opposition campaign after initialing EU pact Ukraine's New Year gas nightmare

  • A recession made in Downing Street

    Updated: 2012-04-27 16:11:21
    Ed Miliband is right. This is indeed a recession made in Downing Street. It was manufactured painstakingly over a decade, first in Number Eleven and then in Number Ten, by Gordon Brown. The lugubrious Fifer inherited a Chancellor's dream scenario: falling expenditure, rising revenues, strong growth and low inflation. For two years, as promised in [...]

  • 6.8% EU budget rise demand is Cloud-Cuckoo Land stuff

    Updated: 2012-04-27 16:03:09
    Home News News 6.8 EU budget rise demand is Cloud-Cuckoo Land stuff News 6.8 EU budget rise demand is Cloud-Cuckoo Land stuff 27 04 2012 15:03 webmaster 73 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds Marta Andreasen MEP Hold on to your hats . The European Commission yesterday asked for a budget increase of 6.8 for 2013. The demand comes at a time of national austerity and as the European Institutions are imposing savage budget cuts on Eurozone . countries This demand is cloud-cuckoo land stuff . Have the European Commission finally completely lost their grip on reality Billions of taxpayers' money has been wasted on disastrous initiatives and policy agendas at EU level : a failed and massively over budget satellite project , a museum of European history , a useless and hugely costly European External

  • [Letter] European Court of Auditors defends secretary general

    Updated: 2012-04-27 12:27:01
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Opinion Letter European Court of Auditors defends secretary general 27.04.12 13:27 Related EU auditor used public funds to hamper anti-fraud inquiry EU ministers back new bill to help victims of crime By Geoffrey Simpson LUXEMBOURG Regarding the article EU auditor used public funds to hamper anti-fraud inquiry in the EUobserver published

  • EU police warn of new-model jihad threat

    Updated: 2012-04-27 10:46:41
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence EU police warn of new-model jihad threat 27.04.12 11:46 Related MEPs call for review of EU counter-terrorism policies EU nags Turkey on terrorism and human rights UK cyber-security expert joins international calls for online

  • [Ticker] EU ministers agree to store air passenger data

    Updated: 2012-04-27 08:31:38
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker EU ministers agree to store air passenger data 27.04.12 09:31 By EUOBSERVER EU interior ministers have agreed to store air passenger data on flights into and out of the EU for five years to fight terrorism and

  • Nuclear stress tests fail EU scrutiny

    Updated: 2012-04-27 08:28:59
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence Environment Nuclear stress tests fail EU scrutiny 27.04.12 09:28 Related Earthquake zone on EU border to host Belarus nuclear plant Sales of women and girls booms in Europe Informal EU summit on growth possible before June By

  • [Video] Fear and anger ahead of Ireland's fiscal treaty referendum

    Updated: 2012-04-27 08:19:29
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Let's talk about EU Video Fear and anger ahead of Ireland's fiscal treaty referendum 27.04.12 09:19 Related Many Irish unaware of upcoming referendum Bumpy ride for fiscal compact in Dublin , Prague , Helsinki Fiscal treaty stirs political disputes in EU countries By Méabh Mc Mahon Photo : EUobserver Conservative MEP Sean Kelly , in

  • [Ticker] Eurozone business and consumer confidence drops

    Updated: 2012-04-27 08:16:14
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker Eurozone business and consumer confidence drops 27.04.12 09:16 By EUOBSERVER Business and consumer confidence in the eurozone's economy fell in April , the European Commission's Economic Sentiment Indicator

  • [Ticker] New drug detected in EU every week

    Updated: 2012-04-27 07:57:23
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker New drug detected in EU every week 27.04.12 08:57 By EUOBSERVER A new drug is detected in the EU every week , according to the EU drugs agency in a report for 2011 released Thursday . The speed at which new

  • [Ticker] Hollande leads in polls for second round of French elections

    Updated: 2012-04-27 07:46:01
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker Hollande leads in polls for second round of French elections 27.04.12 08:46 By EUOBSERVER Francois Hollande , the socialist candidate for the French presidency , is in the lead in polls ahead of the second

  • [Ticker] EU development aid goes to richer countries

    Updated: 2012-04-27 07:42:49
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker EU development aid goes to richer countries 27.04.12 08:42 By EUOBSERVER Only 46 of EU aid meant for developing countries goes to low-income states , while Turkey is in the top five recipients of European

  • [Ticker] Argentina criticises EU's 'unacceptable' behaviour

    Updated: 2012-04-27 07:42:14
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker Argentina criticises EU's unacceptable' behaviour 27.04.12 08:42 By EUOBSERVER I find it unacceptable that you question the commercial policy of our country , Argentina's Foreign Minister Hector Timerman has

  • Opposition parties rescue Dutch budget plan

    Updated: 2012-04-27 07:40:16
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence Groenlinks warned the plan might unravel depending on who wins snap elections in September Photo : zemistor Opposition parties rescue Dutch budget plan 27.04.12 08:40 Related EU commission : Dutch crisis no reason to dodge rules

  • Spain downgraded over spiralling recession

    Updated: 2012-04-27 05:56:13
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence Madrid . S P : The already high unemployment rate , especially among the young , will likely worsen until a sustainable recovery sets in' Photo : marcp_dmoz Spain downgraded over spiralling recession 27.04.12 06:56 Related Spanish

  • EU auditor used public funds to hamper anti-fraud inquiry

    Updated: 2012-04-27 05:50:22
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence EU auditor used public funds to hamper anti-fraud inquiry 27.04.12 06:50 Related European Court of Auditors defends secretary general Buzek allows Olaf probe , continues to deny access to offices Ombudsman and OLAF chief to clash

  • I'm not one for conspiracy theories but...

    Updated: 2012-04-27 04:00:25
    . Home News News I'm not one for conspiracy theories but . News I'm not one for conspiracy theories but . 27 04 2012 03:00 webmaster 121 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds John Bufton MEP Today 25.04.2012 the European Commission will announce a 6.8 increase in budget equivalent to 138 billion . extra This is truly extraordinary when the majority of member states 25 out of 27, excluding the Czech Repubic and the UK who refused to sign up to the latest non-EU treaty' financial pact are under mandate to enforce austerity measures imposed by Brussels . How then can the EU defend such an enormous hike in its own budget The swingeing austerity measures laid out by Brussels are crippling European economies , not saving them , with the constant cutting and adherence to the single currency project proving

  • [Ticker] Romanian government falls

    Updated: 2012-04-27 01:50:11
    Subscribe to EUobserver's newsletter and receive a summary of our news directly in your . mailbox News delivered daily News delivered twice daily News delivered weekly Creative Industries Regions Cities China-EU Relations Books EUobserver Conferences Our newsletters are sent in standard text plain format , we protect your email address and you can easily unsubscribe from the newsletter at any . point News Opinion Focus Videos Agenda Blogs Books Support us Headline News Political Affairs Foreign Affairs Economic Affairs Social Affairs Justice Home Affairs Defence News In Brief Ticker Romanian government falls 27.04.12 14:50 By EUOBSERVER The centre-right Romanian government after just two months in office fell Friday following a no-confidence vote as opposition parties capitalised on

  • Budget chickens come home to roost

    Updated: 2012-04-26 20:50:31
    The European Commission is struggling to justify an increase of nearly 7 per cent in the EU payments budget for 2013.  The timing could hardly be worse, with national budgets feeling the full force of austerity, governments facing fierce opposition to spending cuts at home, and the Dutch being forced into new elections as coalition [...]

  • Ireland is getting a vote on the bailouts – though you wouldn't guess it from the government's 'fair and balanced' guide to the FU Treaty

    Updated: 2012-04-26 20:08:38
    Here's another example of the EU's hideous strength – the way, that is, in which, as well as being undemocratic in itself, it requires its constituent nations to sacrifice a measure of their internal democracy  to sustain the requirements of membership. Ireland used to have exemplary rules on the conduct of referendums, which provided for [...]

  • Easy e-citizenship in France

    Updated: 2012-04-26 15:44:48
    As we have explored numerous times in this blog over the years, the Internet is increasingly shaping political discourse, public scrutiny over elected representatives and our democratic life in general. The upcoming French parliamentary elections are proving once again that e-citizenship is gaining ground fast; for some this year, computers will replace the traditional ballot [...]

  • State interference in religion and homes is out of control

    Updated: 2012-04-25 14:13:40
    Home News News State interference in religion and homes is out of control News State interference in religion and homes is out of control 25 04 2012 13:13 webmaster 27 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds Godfrey Bloom PS Europe Let us hope a new day will dawn when we can return to our libertarian roots and government can retreat into the shadows where it belongs , says UKIP MEP Godfrey . Bloom As a libertarian , I was deeply shocked to watch the sad story of the British bed and breakfast couple being prosecuted for refusing a homosexual couple hospitality in their own home . Not a hotel , big or small , but their own home . I wondered how it could be possible in what used to be the most liberal of societies that this could somehow be a criminal offence . Even under the most appalling fascist ,

  • The EU's hideous strength brings down yet another government

    Updated: 2012-04-25 08:54:44
    I have an article in the main newspaper about how the EU's hideous strength has now brought down a government which had no particular debt problem. I think it may be time to link, once again, to the unintentionally hilarious pop video produced by the Young European Federalists.

  • FH Europe podcast: 20 years of Public Affairs in Brussels

    Updated: 2012-04-25 08:35:30
    In the latest instalment of the FH Europe podcast, we interview Caroline Wunnerlich, the Managing Director of Fleishman-Hillard in Brussels. FH Brussels celebrated 20 years in business last year, a landmark Caroline hits this year. In the interview she tells us about how PA in Brussels has changed over the last 20 years and looks [...]

  • Quango Hypocrisy

    Updated: 2012-04-24 19:54:16
    Home News News Quango Hypocrisy News Quango Hypocrisy 24 04 2012 18:54 webmaster 75 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds MEP Paul Nuttall has hit out at EU hypocrisy over the cost of quangos . nbsp His comments follow a briefing by Open Europe showing that the cost of EU quangos to European taxpayers has risen by 33 over two years and now stands at . 2.64bn This is a prime example of the EU wasting money on funding more bureaucracy while demanding other people and our own Government cut spending , rdquo said Mr Nuttall , local Euro-MP and UKIP deputy . leader It is plain that when the EU demands spending cuts it excludes itself what utter . hypocrisy The UK taxpayer has been the fall-guy funding the EU for too long . The best way the UK can save money is to stop giving this wasteful EU 50million

  • Fusion project goes Galileo on us: billions over budget

    Updated: 2012-04-24 19:52:07
    : Home News News Fusion project goes Galileo on us : billions over budget News Fusion project goes Galileo on us : billions over budget 24 04 2012 18:52 webmaster 89 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds Marta Andreasen Related VIDEO An EU funded fusion power project is turning into a multi-billion nightmare running billions over the original 5 billion 2006 estimates . The actual end costs may never be known as the project is divided amongst seven partners who are under no obligation to divulge them to the central body overseeing the . Project I should say at the outset that I am not against nuclear fusion per-se , I am simply against multi-billion wastage of your . money Anyway back to ITER , as the project is known . The project was being voted on in Strasbourg last Friday . nbsp MEPs decided to

  • Without a referendum on the House of Lords, we risk a politicians' stitch-up

    Updated: 2012-04-23 11:49:35
    The idea of a referendum on Lords reform is almost as old as the notion of Lords reform itself. In 1910, the Conservative Opposition wanted a plebiscite to break the deadlock between the two Houses. The then Tory leader, Arthur Balfour, drew on the arguments of the greatest constitutional theorist of the day, AV Dicey, [...]

  • One French socialist edges ahead of another

    Updated: 2012-04-22 21:04:41
    There was never any doubt that a socialist would win the first round of the French election. This is because, with one partial exception, all ten candidates favoured socialist policies. Sarkozy fought the election promising to make France 'stronger than the markets'. François Hollande wanted a top rate tax of 75 per cent and a massive [...]

  • Nigel Farage: Euro break-up now a question of `how`

    Updated: 2012-04-20 16:14:15
    : Home News News Nigel Farage : Euro break-up now a question of how` News Nigel Farage : Euro break-up now a question of how` 20 04 2012 15:14 webmaster 128 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds VIDEO Speaking in Strasbourg this week 18.04.2012 during the debate on the means to combat the economic crisis . in the eurozone UKIP Leader Nigel Farage said that the question now is not whether the euro can be saved , but how it will break . up Economists the world over now say that it is inevitable that the euro will break up . It is just a question of how , quot he said . And I really hope that the IMF now decide to stop pouring good money after bad into these bailouts and I really do hope that not one penny piece more of British taxpayers' money goes into propping something up that should be allowed to

  • Laughable report on `Women and Climate Change`

    Updated: 2012-04-20 14:06:46
    Home News News Laughable report on Women and Climate Change` News Laughable report on Women and Climate Change` 20 04 2012 14:34 webmaster 4 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds VIDEO In a report debated today in the European Parliament , French Green Party MEP Nicole Kiil-Nielsen claims global warming is not gender neutral' . In response UKIP MEP for the East Midlands , Roger Helmer said : nbsp The idea that climate change affects women disproportionately to men is laughable . This silly report is simply linking the gender hobby horse to the cause de jour . quot : Transcript Mr . President,This report represents an heroic attempt to link two of this parliament's main obsessions : women's rights and climate change . nbsp But sadly it fails to do . so Climate change gets blamed for many things ,

  • EU Commission doesn`t know how much money it has on account

    Updated: 2012-04-20 14:06:46
    Home News News EU Commission doesn`t know how much money it has on account News EU Commission doesn`t know how much money it has on account 20 04 2012 14:20 webmaster 3 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds Marta Andreasen MEP Related VIDEO ITER project , 19.04.2012 How can the EU be expected to be taken seriously on the financial crisis whilst in the space of a few short months it pleads poverty in its own 2011 budget , only to post a surplus in April This is the question I asked yesterday in Strasbourg as Commission President Barroso continued his attempts to offer solutions to the financial . crisis It was only on monday that EU Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget Janusz Lewandowski announced via press release that what he had stated at the end of February was not in fact true :

  • Ten popular and irrefutable online put-downs

    Updated: 2012-04-20 01:57:11
    Readers occasionally have a go at me for not engaging enough in the comment thread. I do try to when I can but, as other readers like to remind me, I have another job. Some comments, in any case, defy engagement. Here are ten generic examples from Twitter, blogs and, indeed, radio or television debates. [...]

  • Against the EU? You're plainly a homophobe!

    Updated: 2012-04-19 15:09:04
    Michael Cashman has written an unintentionally hilarious blog, a series of Spartish adjectives hurled indiscriminately at Tories: 'homophobic', 'disgrace', 'neanderthal' etc. The Labour MEP is agitated – or, rather, is pretending to be agitated – because we failed to back a motion which he claims represents 'mainstream views on LGBT rights'. He makes a point of singling [...]

  • The rest of the Monetary Policy Committee should be as brave as Adam Posen and resign over their hopeless predictions

    Updated: 2012-04-18 14:56:22
    Even by the standards of the Monetary Policy Committee, Adam Posen is the gentlest of doves. The Harvard-educated academic has voted consistently for low interest rates and for Quantitative Easing on grounds that prices were about to start dropping dangerously. In an interview with the Guardian in March 2011, he predicted that inflation would stand at 1.5 per cent [...]

  • As long as the Eurosceptic vote is fragmented, the Euro-enthusiasts will keep winning

    Updated: 2012-04-17 18:31:34
    In 1993, Canada’s Conservatives were wiped out. The governing party lost all but two of its 156 MPs and began a lengthy spell in opposition. Defeat on such a scale doesn’t happen for just one reason, of course, but the Tories’ single biggest disadvantage is easily identified: the Right-wing vote was split. The Progressive Conservatives, [...]

  • The Rights of Human Rights and the Wrongs of Government

    Updated: 2012-04-17 16:49:58
    Home News News The Rights of Human Rights and the Wrongs of Government News The Rights of Human Rights and the Wrongs of Government 17 04 2012 15:49 webmaster 41 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds John Bufton MEP Tomorrow and Friday the Council of Europe , representing 47 member states and over 800 million citizens , will meet in Brighton to discuss reforming the figure head institution of the European Court of Human Rights Strasbourg , pictured At the helm of the discussion is Britain , who currently chairs the Council of Europe , although rumour has it that David Cameron himself will not be . attending Surprising Perhaps not so . A series of embarrassing and unpopular defeats for the Government by the ECHR , such as the ban on deporting Abu Qatada to Jordan , has led to widespread media outcry

  • Economic growth is the theme for spring

    Updated: 2012-04-13 17:47:58
    Spring is the season of growth, and economic growth in Europe has become the dominant theme of the moment. It is certainly a central theme of the French presidential elections. In a few days time the European Commission plans to launch its economic growth plan for Europe, setting out the measures it believes that member states [...]

  • EU no friend of charities

    Updated: 2012-04-13 15:03:25
    Home News News EU no friend of charities News EU no friend of charities 13 04 2012 14:03 webmaster 19 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds Yet again we see the Government being forced into doing something deeply unpopular and counter-productive because of EU rules . quot Godfrey Bloom MEP New rules that the Government is introducing to restrict tax relief to Charities are already compromised by EU . legislation Suggestions that the rule should apply only to non-UK based Charities whose bona-fides can be assured by the Charities Commission have been curtailed due to an ECJ judgement that forbids the Government from discriminating against charities from the other 26 countries in the . EU Godfrey Bloom MEP the UKIP Economics spokesman said : Yet again we see the Government being forced into doing

  • EU dumps on the Ratings Agencies

    Updated: 2012-04-13 14:02:31
    Home News News EU dumps on the Ratings Agencies News EU dumps on the Ratings Agencies 13 04 2012 13:02 webmaster 24 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds There was even a proposal to establish an official EU ratings agency . You can imagine just how credible that would . be Roger Helmer MEP Yesterday I attended a lunch-time briefing with the European Parliamentary Services Forum on the EU's plans to regulate the Credit Ratings . Agencies Of course the EU hates these agencies . nbsp Along with the bankers , they're a convenient scapegoat for the uro crisis . nbsp Heaven forefend that we should blame the real culprits the politicians who set unrealistic targets for lending and home ownership Jimmy Carter , Bill Clinton the Central Bankers Alan Greenspan and their European counterparts , who kept

  • Robert Sturdy Condems Argentina’s Protectionist Agenda in Letter to EU Trade Commissioner

    Updated: 2012-04-12 12:47:30
    Brussels, 12th April 2012 – Robert Sturdy MEP, Vice-Chairman of the International Trade Committee in the European Parliament, has blasted Argentina’s recent behaviour in a strongly worded letter to EU Trade Commissioner, Karel De Gucht. In his letter, co-signed by the Chairman of the Conservative Political Group in the European Parliament and fellow Conservative MEP [...]

  • Stop this eco-fascism!

    Updated: 2012-04-10 15:30:36
    Home News News Stop this eco-fascism News Stop this eco-fascism 10 04 2012 14:30 webmaster 42 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds Don't let the Green Zealots bring back the Window Tax By Roger Helmer MEP The government is proposing that householders who want to build a conservatory , or replace a boiler or install new windows , are to be forced to spend hundreds of pounds in addition on loft insulation and other green measures , all in the name of saving the . planet The Daily Mail reports that officials recognise this will cause inconvenience to householders They can say that again . nbsp It is of course also likely to do huge damage to the home improvement industry , as home-owners who have saved for a conservatory are disheartened by the new obligations , and decide to go on a cruise instead .

  • UKIP & Lib-Dems level-pegging on 11%

    Updated: 2012-04-10 14:43:59
    Home News News UKIP Lib-Dems level-pegging on 11 News UKIP Lib-Dems level-pegging on 11 10 04 2012 13:43 webmaster 38 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds By Roger Helmer MEP A Survation Poll for the Daily Mail April 8 shows UKIP and the Lib-Dems tied for third place at 11 UKIP in double figures and third equal . nbsp OK , so one opinion poll doesn't prove a lot by itself , just as two swallows don't make a summer . nbsp But this follows a period when UKIP has been heading up steadily and attracting large crowds to public meetings And of course the Lib-Dems have been edging down fairly . conspicuously It's worth mentioning that while Survation treats UKIP fairly , a number of other polling organisations simply don't break out the UKIP result so their Others figures get so high as to make the whole

  • Greece: Enough is Enough

    Updated: 2012-04-10 14:25:50
    : Home News News Greece : Enough is Enough News Greece : Enough is Enough 10 04 2012 13:25 webmaster 40 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds By John Bufton MEP The tragedy unfolding in Greece has escalated to such a stage now that I am increasingly concerned by pan-European complicity in the austerity measures planned to save the Euro a currency nobody wanted which are putting so many human lives at . stake I have talked about Greece repeatedly in this blog . It's been hard not to . It has after all been the focal point of European news for over a . year But today's news about the suicide of a 77 year old retired chemist outside Parliament in Athens last night has to be talked about . In fact , it has to be shouted and screamed . about This high profile case caught the public's attention and sparked

  • Faith in Syria

    Updated: 2012-04-10 14:15:56
    By Godfrey Bloom MEP • The Grand Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic and His Beatitude Ignatius IV Patriarch of Antioch and all the East recently met with Kofi Annan. Annan has spoken to the Security Council, and with high-ranking political individuals in the UN and elsewhere urging them to let Syria solve its own problems.

  • EU ban on DSM is wasteful and ill-timed - Stuart Agnew

    Updated: 2012-04-10 01:53:12
    • The Eastern Counties MEP, Stuart Agnew, has angrily condemned the European Commission’ abrupt decision to ban Desinewed Meat (DSM) even though there is no evidence that it is dangerous to human health, describing the decision as “wasteful of perfectly good meat” and pointing out that it “should be for the British government to make such decisions, not unelected European Commissioners sitting in Brussels”.

  • Two-day old news: The Lib Dems are completely doo-lally

    Updated: 2012-04-06 19:53:52
    : Home News News Two-day old news : The Lib Dems are completely doo-lally News Two-day old news : The Lib Dems are completely doo-lally 06 04 2012 18:53 webmaster 86 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds Pictured : Ed Davey . Does he really think we should join the uro Yes he . does By Roger Helmer MEP It was a couple of days ago that the Telegraph reported on observations made by Ed Davey in the New Statesman a sort of left-wing avatar of the Specky And it confirms if confirmation were required that the Lib-Dems are still out there on Fantasy . Island It's a pity , really . nbsp I had high hopes that Ed Davey might show a little more common sense and gumption than his predecessor Chris Huhne . nbsp There are rumours that , perhaps under pressure from the Treasury , he may be tip-toeing away from the

  • Sussex Wind-Farm: Consultation should be independent

    Updated: 2012-04-03 17:27:26
    : Home News News Sussex Wind-Farm : Consultation should be independent News Sussex Wind-Farm : Consultation should be independent 03 04 2012 16:27 webmaster 40 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds By Marta Andreasen MEP On Tuesday I was in Sussex , hosting a public meeting but also visiting the Henfield exhibition being put on by E-on in relation to the planned offshore wind-farm off the East Sussex . coast The energy company wants to construct up to 195 turbines between 8 and 15 miles out to . sea Local residents are quite rightly concerned about the impact that the wind farm could have on their views but also the knock-on effects on tourism and the local economy . generally I took the opportunity to talk about my concerns with the local BBC Network in Sussex . I explained to them that I had

  • Bloom urges people to speak up on drink industry

    Updated: 2012-04-03 17:13:59
    Home News News Bloom urges people to speak up on drink industry News Bloom urges people to speak up on drink industry 03 04 2012 16:13 webmaster 19 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds The government and media are in a state of panic about the rate of drinking in the UK , but making policy during a panic is nearly always bad news , says Godfrey . Bloom UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom has called for as many people as possible to take part in a new Government consultation on the drink industry Suggestions in the consultation include plain packaging , marketing bans and raising the legal drinking . age Can you imagine what the interior of a pub will look like if these plans see the light of day said Mr Bloom . How will small local breweries compete if they cannot advertise Anybody who cares about beer , anybody

  • Paul Nuttall: Cash for research not foreign aid

    Updated: 2012-04-03 16:39:43
    : Home News News Paul Nuttall : Cash for research not foreign aid News Paul Nuttall : Cash for research not foreign aid 03 04 2012 15:39 webmaster 26 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds Click on image to enlarge . Source UKIP MEP Paul Nuttall has called on the government to drop plans to increase foreign aid spending and instead use the cash to aid dementia . research A powerful committee of peers has now urged David Cameron to abandon his pledge to increase aid spending by 37 to more than 12 billion a year . But will he take any notice We have already read how India says it does not want our aid and the cross-party economic affairs committee has now pointed out that large and prolonged aid programmes can have a corrosive effect on local political systems when the priority becomes to attract aid

  • A Solution to Political Party funding

    Updated: 2012-04-03 15:36:14
    Home News News A Solution to Political Party funding News A Solution to Political Party funding 03 04 2012 14:36 webmaster 41 Global Print PDF RSS Feeds Click on image to . enlarge Source By Gerard Batten MEP All the fuss about Peter Cruddas being forced to resign as the Chief Tory Fund Raiser is rank humbug . His prices of 250,000 for access to the Prime Minister just shows how inflation has hit politics . Under Labour a quarter of a million might buy you a knighthood or a peerage , now it only gets you a meeting with David . Cameron This real issue is one of party political funding All political parties depend on donations from a small pool of wealthy people in order to exist . nbsp While UKIP rejects the public funding of political parties in principle there is nevertheless a problem in

  • On the blessings of escaping daltonism

    Updated: 2012-04-02 16:49:29
    Blessed with offices with a park-view, it has been hard not to notice the veritable explosion that has taken place over the last ten days: spring has finally come to Brussels! What was grey and brown has once more become green. And how fitting that greening is such a topical matter in Brussels at the [...]

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