EU shenanigans TB style

Tony Blair has arbitrarily announced he is willing to give up some of the EU rebate in a (probably futile) effort to get the EU budget signed off. But he is doing so without addressing the key EU finance issue.
An unwillingness to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the single biggest scandal in the European Union. The diversion of this money to France and away from the structural funds for regenerating the poorer member states is ridiculous and should be stopped at the same time as we give back the rebate.The rebate is an anomaly, that much is true in an enlarged EU. But it is also our bargaining chip; a tool we should be using to help force a reform of the ridiculous CAP which means that unproductive family farms in backward thinking archaic agricultural countries (like France) are subsidised rather than overhauled in the manner that would surely have happened before now were it not for the CAP.

Tony Blair is an experienced politician which makes it incomprehensible that he is giving away his negotiating advantages with absolutely no sign from his EU “partners” that CAP reform has even been put on the table. There must be an explanation.

There is.

Tony Blair has always been desperate for his “place in history”. His dreams of leading the UK gloriously into the promised Euro land lie in tatters; forever hindered by the failure of the European economy to respond positively to the single currency and by the UK population’s constantly polled hostility to the project. Instead, Blair has opted for the modest “getting an EU budget agreed” plan for posterity. Beggars can’t be choosers with regard to this and with such a paucity of achievement over 8 years his only alternative footnote is as a warmonger and the dubious distinction of being the worst multi-term prime minister in history.

But the UK rebate should not be sacrificed at the altar of one man’s ego. It’s billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money and is the only stick we have to get a budget fair to the whole of the EU and not just the French.

Will this wet cabbage diplomacy work? Non, Non, Non Mr Blair.

Holidays

I love holidays. They are such wonderful things.

However, during my week of sun and cold beer it seems to have got freezing cold. I am not suffering from post-holiday blues.

I can't be bothered at work and I need another holiday. Which is why my long weekend in Brussels seems like a tippy top idea.

Roll on Saturday!!!!

Oh and that Rome programme on the Telly is fantastic (if you like blood)

New leader for the Scottish Conservatives

Annabel Goldie, a woman who even Rab McNeill in the Scotsman used to write only glowingly about, has become leader of the rats in a sack impression that is the Scottish Conservative Party.

First thing she needs to do is give those swines in the party that have only their own self-interest and misguided agendas to push a good kick up the arse.

David McLetchie was a misguided sod on the fiddle who still managed to address the decline of the Tories in Scotland. It is up to Annabel Goldie to make the graph turn upwards more decisively.

Can she do it? Well she's certainly got the credibility. Whether she has the team behind her is probably the crucial factor. 2007 elections are still long enough away for her to put Monteith and McLetchie affair behind the party. It's all to play for in Scotland (well not all obviously but there's lots to play for). Good luck Annabel.

The end of the affair

So Blunkett has resigned. I thought he had to go and it seems that most of the Westminster establishment agreed with me.

It's very sad to see a near 40 year political career come to an end by the principal actor going a bit bonkers but that is what seems to have happened in this case.

In the end Mr Blair's defending of his friend as being without blemish on his character seemed tragically laughable.

Speaking of laughable, surely Charles Kennedy can't remain leader of the Liberal Democrats for long if they don't want to start losing ground. His performance in PMQ's when compared with Tony Blair's combativeness and Michael Howard's professionalism makes him look like a barely competent bore at best and a niave fool at worst.

In other news it seems like the McTories are going for Goldie. If she can get Murdo Fraser on board as her deputy this could be a solid and balanced team to hopefully move the Tories forward into the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections.

What next for the McTories?

The resignation of David McLetchie gives the Scottish Tories a certain headache. McLetchie has overseen the bottoming out of Tory fortunes in Scotland and the marginal bounce-back since 2003. With the SNP looking increasingly desperate there must be hope for the Tories to move forward in 2007.

But... who will be leader? Thus far I have no information as to the runners and riders but I'm sure I'll make my preference known once they put themselves forward!

Blunkett bashing

I have written in the past that I found a lot of the coverage of the Blunkett/Quinn affair to be disgraceful as it was written in a childish way which clearly related to "Wow that blind bloke gets his leg over... ain that funny?"

But the revelations of him breaking the rules taking company directorships further questions his suitability to be a cabinet minister. I think on this occasion the calls for his resignation are reasonable and well-founded.

His emotional stance over the Quinn affair called into question his judgment. The latest incident is more serious as it calls into question both his judgment AND his integrity to a much greater degree.

Firstly, on judgment. He never left his ministerial home after leaving the Home Office. This almost conclusively proves that Tony Blair had promised him a speedy return to the cabinet. In such circumstances, why on earth did he jeapordise his career by taking this position that broke the ministerial code of conduct? Of course taking this job against the code is serious enough in itself.

David Blunkett has rightly been a man much admired for not letting his disability stop him reaching the very top of British politics. But I'm afraid the human flaw of greed must lead to his resignation at this juncture.

Bored to tears

Working on biography pieces on civil servants really makes a day drag.

And I've had two bank charges for going over my overdraft limit. Today's not a good day. Some interesting discussion over at politicalbetting.com, rapidly becoming one of my fave places on the web. One of these days I think I'll open an account on a spread-betting site and try and use some of the political driftwood over my desk to make myself a few quid. I'll wait till I no longer have an overdraft though!