Yesterday UKRep, the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union, held their traditional reception to welcome British MEPs to the European Parliament. It was, for me, a deeply depressing experience. Not only were most of the UKIP MEPs present; they were also accompanied by young women in fairly flimsy purple dresses. We had, in addition, Tory sceptics and other assorted Brits, most of whom appeared at best lukewarm towards the EU. It brought home to me just how far Britain has moved away from support for Europe.
However, there were some bright spots. It was good to see British Commissioner Cathy Ashton there. The keynote address from Baroness Glenys Kinnock, Minister for Europe, was absolutely delightful. At last we have a Europe Minister who knows not only knows the subject but has years of experience as an MEP. Glenys, of course, talked about her passion, international development, and how she wished to continue contributing to Europe on the world stage.
Unfortunately, but maybe not surprisingly, I head a voice from the back barrack Glenys when she said how pleased she was that more women have been elected to the European Parliament. As you may have guessed, it was none other than UKIP’s Godfrey Bloom (of women should clean more behind the fridge fame) grunting that women should make the tea. Not quite as bad as the BNP calling Glenys Kinnock a “political prostitute” but, together with the purple dresses, indicative of UKIP’s undisguised sexism.
“It brought home to me just how far Britain has moved away from support for Europe.”
Very perceptive and correct and the EU richly deserves the contempt in which it is held by the British people.
This corrupt and undemocratic instituion, that ignores millions of voters in France, Holland, Ireland when they express their democratic verdict, is an affront to democracy. No wonder turn out is falling at every election since 1979
Billions lost in Fraud, billions wasted on agriculture, millions spent on financing an insular political class. You bet Europe is in trouble.
Time to end Monnet’s out dated ideological project and bury it with the other failed 20th century trans-national ideologies.
The unpleasant nature of the BNP does not stop them being right occasionally. Considering that her opinion is for sale, and she will sell her country for a stack of cash I think that ‘political prostitute’ is a very apt description of Glennys Kinnock.
I note Ms Honeyball that you clearly believe in positive discrimination in favour of woman. UKIP on the other hand believe in the concept of one member one vote when it comes to selecting our candidates for the EU Parliament or the the UK Parliament.
In the South West of England the party members selected the six candidates from a list of 8 who put themselves forward, 3 of that 8 were women. ” got into the last 6, who then stood for the party. The position of the candidates was by the number of votes they received and with a party group who are almost 50/50 in it’s gender make up, no could possibly criticise the result.
Except of course those who do not believe in the concept of democracy. As for Godfrey Bloom he is an excellent MEP representing all his constituents. Yes he has his funny little ways but don’t we all. Having met his wife, she is certainly no shrinking violet and I suspect if anyone cleans behind the fridge in his household it would be him.
What is more important of course for Britains’s future is which of the domestic parties would take us out of Europe something even the EU Commission acknowledge 95% of the countries now want. For Britain that party is UKIP. But I guess your own position is more important than that of the Constituents you represent.
You say, “It brought home to me just how far Britain has moved away from support for Europe”. Well I can remember when it was the Labour party that was against the Common Market when the Tories supported it. Labour did not want an open and free “common market” in the 1970s and 80s but now wants to hand our sovereignty to the most corrupt, undemocratic and unaccoutable plutocracy in the world. You are a traitor.
“It brought home to me just how far Britain has moved away from support for Europe.”
And whose fault is that exactly, look at page 84 of your 2005 manifesto.. third line down. the political classes of this country hold the population in contempt.
Mary,
I want to have a civil partnership with a cat. She walked into my life by taking up residence in my greenhouse. At first I ignored her. She wouldn’t, however, take my coldness as a signal to find another catflap. She could walk away at anytime, but chooses not too. She has a passport and accompanies me on holiday trips throughout Europe. My life would be empty without her.
Don’t you think that cross species ‘love’ is to be celebrated? I do. If one of the UK’s leading researchers could, with a little bit of gene manipulation, reduce the gene variation gap of 28%, our happiness should be complete. After all humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) have a gene variation score of .2% and those relationships which are thrust into my face, leave me feeling deprived and discriminated against. In fact, I think that in the vibrant, rainbow world, there must be some space for me and a little, gray and white cat. She is from North Africa originally but is a refugee since her ancestors suffered from climate change (Sahara spread; though with Global Warming and increased rainfall in the Sahara, things are looking up).
Our relationship would not be a burden to the tax-payer.
I am serious about our relationship and would welcome the inclusion of feline/human partnerships in any British and European Equality legislation. I am relying on to use your good offices. Your track record speaks for itself.
What is so terrible about purple dresses?
Ms Honeyball should perhaps focus on a more significant aspect of UKIP. I refer to the fact that UKIP beat the Labour Party in the European Parliament elections on June 4th.
A UK withdrawal from the EU may be dismissed as nonesense by the chattering classes but it is popular with the British public. UKIP’s success was not a ‘flash in the pan’, a ‘one of off’ or a ‘fluke’, one offs do not happen three times in row.
A survey commissioned by the BBC from ComRes found that 54% of voters now want the UK to leave the European Union.