The EU's Strasbourg Sessions
Doubtless most of us are aware of the lunacy of the Brussels mob sauntering off to Strasbourg every once in a while just to please the French. Anyway, a Swedish MEP started a campaign to stop this, and thus far has collected 1m 'signatures' on an internet petition. Not hugely interesting, agreed. However, the BBC site quotes the almost very suitably named Labour MEP Gary Titley thus:
"one million European citizens have spoken - Europe's politicians now need to respond".
Right-o. Current population of the EU is 457,030,418, so that makes a rounded 0.22% of the EU's population. I thought I'd have a look at Mr Titley's result in 2004 . And lo, and indeed, behold, by Titley's reasoning, the remarkably obscure Countryside Party and the Pro-Life Alliance also 'spoke for the people' in his constituency.
Meanwhile, the departement of Bas Rhin (wherein is to be found Strasbourg) has a population of 1,026,120. I'm sure they could rustle up a million folk to 'sign' in favour....
"one million European citizens have spoken - Europe's politicians now need to respond".
Right-o. Current population of the EU is 457,030,418, so that makes a rounded 0.22% of the EU's population. I thought I'd have a look at Mr Titley's result in 2004 . And lo, and indeed, behold, by Titley's reasoning, the remarkably obscure Countryside Party and the Pro-Life Alliance also 'spoke for the people' in his constituency.
Meanwhile, the departement of Bas Rhin (wherein is to be found Strasbourg) has a population of 1,026,120. I'm sure they could rustle up a million folk to 'sign' in favour....
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on Thursday, September 21, 2006 at 2:04 pm.
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Petition or no petition...Jacques Chirac is bound, by dint of his insufferable Frenchness, to veto any attempt to abolish the Strasbourg "parliament". It ain't gonna fly Titley.
Absolutely. Whatever we mighy say about the Gauls and their leaders, they are ruthless in their pursuit of self-interest.
And from now on the MEP will be referred to by me as Gary 'right' Titley.
Conservatives have been campaigning on this for years too, as I'm sure you know. I was one of the 1 million who signed the petition.
The Strasbourg circus is the equivalent of our MPs and their staff packing their bags at Westminster and flying to Edingburgh to vote. Only while the MPs fly, the other staff have to go by train or cheaper modes of transport, I am led to believe. And my MEP always has a car waiting for him at the airport to take him to the EP.
would all commenters get over to guidos blog and stick up for peter.apparently the real ones been in touch.
class!
Rigger - done my bit....
I also have communicated a view at Guido's place.
Ellee, I'm in complete agreement with you on the aims of this campaign, I was just taking issue at the rather silly way that Titley expressed himself.
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