BBC Blog Network

User Profile

rg

Listed below are comments made by rg between Saturday, 5th December 2009 and Wednesday, 9th December 2009.

«Newer
Older»

Is it time for higher taxes for the rich? 5:59pm on 09 Dec 2009 9. Tempus Fugit wrote:

"...Mr Darling will speak of the case for fairer taxes..."

Shouldn't the case for this radical policy departure be put in his party's manifesto for us all to vote on?
Ireland: The reckoning 9:33pm on 08 Dec 2009 27. SuperJulianR

"...will Cameron be any better? So far the omens are not good..."

Indeed his opposition to the Lisbon Treaty and insistence that the people had their say proved somewhat part time.

The Irish may be broke but at least they could chose how they'd be governed in the future.
Ireland: The reckoning 6:30pm on 08 Dec 2009 23. SuperJulianR

"...At least Ireland is taking the tough decisions it has to in order to get out of this mess. The UK continues to live in a fool's paradise of borrowed money..."

I'm pleased someone else thinks we are living in a Brown Lalaland. Mustn't upset the voters.
The power of the spotlight 3:23pm on 07 Dec 2009 2. democracythreat

"...we are going to be treated to a showcase of photo opportunities, many fine words, and a truckload of promises..."

Lisbon confirmed the trend of setting up protocols with completion dates set, just far enough, in the future by which time the current crop of politicians will be safely drawing our pensions. Failure will be someone else's fault.

The photo opportunities are for savouring and milking today.
Where would you make the cuts? 10:18am on 07 Dec 2009 OP "Gordon Brown is to start setting out Labour's plans for slashing public spending".

Slashing eh? I thought the choice was between Labour spending and Tory cuts? Still, if you say, 'Slasher' Brown it is.
The fear of minarets 4:18pm on 06 Dec 2009 299. Mathiasen

"...Due to the contradictions now existing in its legislation Switzerland is most likely to get a problem via Strasbourg..."

I wonder if subservience to the ECHR could end up being put to the Swiss - What price political independence?
Would Britain still be Great without Scotland? 4:10pm on 06 Dec 2009 12. Nick Vinehill

"...So what do some of the public do? Blame each other, seek scapegoats and blame other countries..."

Devolution was offered as a halfway house in 1997. If folk are happy then they'll vote 'no' to independence in the referendum offered in their ruling party's election manifesto. Not letting them vote won't make the issue go away IMO. A saucepan left simmering on the stove could still boil over.

As for the English; they are the most tolerant of people to put up with lop sided devolution. Imagine if Bavaria was allowed a regional government whilst Brandenburg was denied the same privilege?
The fear of minarets 10:03pm on 05 Dec 2009 296. Jean Luc

"...QMV already existed on most issues..."

According to this http://en.euabc.com/word/783 Lisbon added nearly twice as many QMV articles as any previous Treaty (including The Treaty of Rome) apart from The Constitutional Treaty (which coincidentally, if not unsurprisingly, is listed as having exactly the same number).

Personally I'd have no issue with this if we were allowed the vote Labour offered in their 2005 General Election manifesto.
The fear of minarets 6:47pm on 05 Dec 2009 294.

"...The Lisbon Treaty doesn't change much in this respect..."

Of course not, how silly of me, got carried away. Ten years in the making and "...The Lisbon Treaty doesn't change much in this respect..."

QMV?
The fear of minarets 6:25pm on 05 Dec 2009 289. lacerniagigante

"...many legislatures in the UK itself (including the current one) are to be deemed "not democratic" because the ruling party does not command the absolute majority of votes..."

This is true in England where the Conservatives won more votes than Labour in 2005. The latter were spared defeat though unequal constituency sizes and the votes of the other constituent parts of the UK. I wonder if the English electorate is ready to be outvoted both in the UK, and now thanks to Lisbon, in the EU.

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

rg