Presumably this also means that we have to replace our representative in Brussels at the commission, any bets as to who will be elevated to the Lords to fill this role?

A win-win for Brown on the question of Patronage, and presumably it will be someone diagonally opposed to the Conservative ethos, to ensure that no easy relationship exists between any potential future Tory administration in Parliament, and the European Commission.

An exercise in argumentum ad ignoratium since you appear to have difficulty keeping up dear boy!

I bet Tony's a bit annoyed all that selling of our sovereignty down the river and no presidency.

Last edited by Morris_Viper on Fri Nov 20, 2009 4:08 am; edited 1 time in total

A good question. The tenure of the Commission actually came to an end on 31 October but the election process was held up because of the delay in ratification of the Lisbon Treaty by the Czech Repubic.

At the moment, a caretaker Commission is minding the shop.

The hearings of the commissioners by Members of the European Parliament is expected to start on 11 January and last for two weeks. If there are no major hiccups, the plenary will then vote on the entire college at the end of January.

MEPs cannot outright veto a candidate but in 2004 they gained a political foothold when they managed to pressure Mr Barroso to have the Italian commissioner withdrawn.

On 13 November, the European Peoples Party holding the largest number of seats in the Parliament (288 out of 736) issued a position paper of what they expect from a new Commission. It appears that the EPP will not tolerate the selection by the member states of Commissioners tainted by a corrupt Communist past.

The United Kingdom, France and Germany have yet to name their candidates for the post but I would have thought that Padddy Ashdown would make an excellent Commissioner if given a suitable portfolio commensurate with his experience in the former Yugoslavia.

A few member states, including Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Spain and Slovakia, have either officially re-nominated the same commissioner or are thought likely to do so. Malta's Joe Borg would like to stay on in Brussels while Denmark's climate minister, Connie Hedegaard, may be heading to the EU capital. France is reportedly deliberating between Michel Barnier, former commissioner and current MEP, and Christine Lagarde, the highly respected economy minister. Ireland is deliberating between former president of the European Parliament Pat Cox and former justice minister Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.

Still chaffes you froggies arses that when you ask the Yanks for the coolest big boys toys they tell you to FOAD!

Guchhi nuclear bomb technology courtesy of the 1958 US–UK Mutual Defence Agreement , Trident, rather nifty joint intelligence gathering network that only English speakers can join and spies on you lot…

ECHELON may not be your friend, and you'll never be allowed to join the club.

Oh yes!!!!!!

Yep, even the EU accepts Europe is going into decline this century both in population and GDP's…

Meanwhile, the population of the USA will climb to 450 Million by 2045 and their GDP will be massive.

Personally, I'd stick with the other Anglosphere countries we originally created that are set fair to do rather well in this century rather than hitch a ride on a sinking EuroShip.

Baroness Ashton ticks all the right EU boxes
Just because you have never heard of her, that does not mean that Baroness Ashton, the new EU foreign minister, is negligible, says Gerald Warner.

Published: 9:44AM GMT 20 Nov 2009


Bang go the reputations of Metternich and Talleyrand. European diplomacy has a dynamic new exponent and it is none other than Baroness Ashton of Upholland (not, apparently, a derogatory remark made about the Netherlands No voters in their Lisbon Treaty referendum), the newly anointed High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union.

And, wow, does this lady tick all the boxes. Just because you have never heard of her, that does not mean she is negligible.

Hers is a CV to die for.

Her first political office was as vice-chairman of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; now she is in charge of European security policy.

As Director of Business in the Community she worked with business to abolish inequality (that is why she is a baroness, unlike less equal people).

From there she rose to global realpolitik, chairing Hertfordshire Health Authority, not to mention the board of governors of her children’s school.

After that, her career went stratospheric as she became successively Vice President of the National Council for One Parent Families (an iconic post, that),

Leader of the House of Lords (thus successfully abolishing at least her own inequality)

and UK European Commissioner in succession to the Grand Duke Mandy.

She was also voted Politician of the Year by Stonewall, thus reinforcing her PC credentials.

Now comes the final apotheosis, as successor to Richelieu, Bonaparte and Bismarck in shaping the destinies of Europe.

What’s not to like? From a Eurofederalist, right-on, PC, anti-Little Englander point of view? But the more discerning observers will already have noted the Baroness’s supreme qualification for Europower and endorsement by the elite: she is totally untainted by any experience of democratic election at any stage in her career – unless you are small-minded enough to count her coronation by EU leaders as a momentary brush with a miniscule ballot box. Horses for courses: this serial appointee is custom-made for high EU office


www.telegraph.co.uk/ne...boxes.html

The hideous Hewitt wants to be a Commissar, so does the hapless Hoon so well loved by the military.

I just hope Cameron pulls the rug from under the feet of these Eurotwerps and bins the whole shambolic farce!

Don't say it can't be done - we have stood alone before. Some fences to mend with our long-suffering Commonwealth cousins and sit back and watch Euroswineland implode under its own corruption and bureaucracy - not to mention its plethora of languages, uncommon cultures, differing histories and ill-concealed 'national' agenda.

Given the chance the British people would be off like a shot. The traitors in Whitehall are too in thrall to their european masters to allow it.

Rather than whinge, you should be grateful that a brit has been selected for a top position.

It means than in spite of all the atlantic boot licking and all the attempts at torpedoing the european project from both outside and within, the UK is still considered as "part of the club", that in spite of the euro-sceptic the UK is still considered a european country and that its opinion matters.

You should enjoy the privilege and be grateful that you are represented at the highest level rather than shower the continent with your contempt and holier-than-thou attitude.

I would rather be represented by Mickey Mouse than this inexperienced, untested placewoman. She has never done a constructive job in her life, and is only in this position by virtue of who she is married to. Where did she gain the experience to take on a task like this?

Try to see a bit further; would you rather have someone from your country in this position, or someone from any other country ? can't you see the meaning of the EU selecting a UK person for this job while the UK is one of the most EU sceptic country of the union ? Nobody gives s fcuk about experience, she'll have tons of advisors for the serious stuff, she's just a face (and what a face, what a wonderful add for british females....not !)

Total balls, the only reason is to make sure we keep paying into the EU coffers at a fcuking stupid amount.

"Oh look they really love us" do they fcuk, they hate us and we know it and so do they.

I'd rather the UK pulled out of the EU and they can have any mong they like from any of the other countries fcuk the job up instead.

See, even when you are shown the love, you lash back....there is no pleasing you lot...

But it is not love it is greed, they want the UK to prop up their shite farmers etc. If it was true love the EU would let us go.

I don't think she can hide behind advisors in this role - it is a face-to-face job which will need negotiation and diplomacy skills.

The fact that she has a face like a Llama licking lemon juice off a salty turd is not going to work in her favour either.

Another UK labour party stooge inserted into a powerful position with questionable skills and experience.

Not proud, not impressed - and I'm pretty open on the issue.

Shiite farmers ? You should be grateful that there are still enough French farmers to raise sane cows, foie gras, Charolais beef and many other delicacies that millions of brits will enjoy, both in and out of France...honest, we are thankful for your contribution you know....because if we were to count on Sainsbury and Tesco for Christmas....

Yep farmers propped up with grants from the EU, i.e the British tax payer. Perhaps those grateful farmers should be at Dover giving their produce away if they are that grateful.