THIS story from the Sunday Telegraph is truly appalling. It relates how Brussels has closed down a successful UK cheese manufacturer for no apparent reason, and has been allowed to do so by an impotent British government. I hope that this will now be taken up by our MPs and MEPs even though it is too late for that particular company. It must not be allowed to happen again.
On the back of this, the EU is about to launch an investigation into the whole UK cheese industry, which is worth £5 billion a year. What's the betting that after they've finished it will be worth a fraction of that? The words Off, Out and Better become more appealing by the day. But not necessarily in that order.
Careful Iain. People will start asking whether you answered one of Nigel's little emails in the affirmative.
ReplyDeleteBooker has had this disgraceful episode in his column previously. But it's highly unlikely that any politician from any of the mainstream parties would be willing to kick up a fuss about it - not unless all hope of promotion had already disappeared (note it was raised in the HofL, not the Commons).
ReplyDeleteNope, too many from Halitosis Hall see the EU as an opportunity (mostly for themselves to look all international and statesman-like) to rock the political boat. Bastards. Sooner out the better.
By curious coincidence, His Grace has posted on the topic of Conservatism, Compassion, and the EU today. It was the subject of his sermon.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is that the UK has progressively abdicated its responsibility for people's livelihoods to the government of the European Union, which people can neither remove nor hold accountable. His Grace considers this to be immoral, since it should be the primary function of national government to protect the vulnerable. Mr Cameron may demand reformation of the EU, but he is yet to nail his 95 theses to the door of the Commission in Brussels...
...he probably does not wish to suffer Luther's fate of excommunication.
His Grace regrets to inform you, Mr Dale, that should you succeed in your aspirations to the green benches of Westminster, you will find yourself as impotent to do anything about this as the present government.
Although Bills of Attainder were abolished in 1870 it seems they're back via statutory instrument. A bill of attainder is typically a legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without a trial. Most of our laws are statutory instruments these days so how fitting that it re-appears in that form.
ReplyDeleteA flagrant breach of a number of Articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. In short, utterly unlawful.
Completely disgrace behaviour from both the eurhole union and our minsters. But what do we expect from those wielding power without responsibility? I look forward to the day the UK leaves the corrupt self serving cesspit that is the "european" union.
Ted Heath took us into Europe.
ReplyDeleteAnd Thatcher signed the Single European Act.
Then Major signed up for Maastricht.
There is a common theme here somewhere, but it escapes me for the moment...
I look forward to the europhile Tory MEP's doing nothing about this.
ReplyDeleteThis cheese factory closure is just the latest example of the despicable arrogance of the Euro beaurocrats; what Dr Johnson called "the insolence of office."
ReplyDeleteA modest proposal: Let's have a law which says that no prosecution shall be brought, or enforcement proceedings taken, for any breach of any European-based regulation without the written consent of the Solicitor General. That way a member of the Government would have to take direct, personal responsibility for these indefensible decisions.
I wouldn't hold your breath Iain, Tory's don't do cheese, not unless its green.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless The Cheesemakers - the words from Monty Python Life of Brian.
ReplyDeleteWhy the surprise? Cheese factories and other milk processors in the UK have been kept delibertately short of milk for twenty years. That's why we eat all that foreign shit full of sugar and preservatives. We could have fresher food if we grew it and produced it ourselves.
The EU does not care about health.
FIsh is beyond the pocket of many with its price doubling in the last twenty years - all thanks to good old Brussels - the diabetes promoting capital of the world - and KGB centre according to Litvinenko and Scaramella.
BULGARIAN SLOGAN - Crime Pays in Europe. Vote for More Crime. Join the EU.
I know this matter will get hijacked by the anti-EU brigade. Rightly so, it's ammunition for them.
ReplyDeleteBut put this aside. What this is about is the management of risk and the "precautionary principle". The factory was shut down because of a potential risk not because anyone had reported health problems linked to eating the cheese. In the name of safety, some perfectly good cheese was thrown away, along with many jobs. Just to prevent a few gip tummies.
This heavihanded policy isn't fair on anyone. Rather than quitting the EU, someone needs to make the case for reforming this bit of dumb health and safety policy.
But probably Blair's given away our veto on the matter and it's left to the Europe Minister, Geoff Hoon to plead the case, as if Europe will take lessons on Health and Safety from one of the architects of the collapse in Iraq...
I remember a young Prime Minister in 1998 saying 'Be at the heart of Europe and influence matters'
ReplyDeleteWhat a load of old bollox from Blair!!
He even wanted to be in the Euro!!
I don't remember this fuss being kicked up about unpasteurised Camembert.
ReplyDeleteAre the French rules different?
Because democracy and Europe don't go together they invented the EU. And it sucks. And it has destroyed democracy here.
ReplyDelete'This heavihanded policy isn't fair on anyone. Rather than quitting the EU, someone needs to make the case for reforming this bit of dumb health and safety policy.'
ReplyDeletehahahahahahaha.....
*pauses for breath*
hahahahahahahaha.....
Sorry, I just found that amusing.
You know the word 'reform' is a dirty word in Europe. Until the entire culture of the euro-elite changes nothing of the sort will happen. Already Prodi is talking about:
"2007 must be the year for the re-launch of Europe."
'To give European citizens the response they want, we all know that there is a need for more Europe, not less.'
"we must not give up indispensable improvements such as reinforcement in foreign affairs and the extension of the majority vote"
"It is the time for action. We must resume the process of integration on the right track."
Can any of this be good for the UK? More Europe, more integration. did not the 'non' vote in France and Denmark tell them anything?
The EU could be a good thing, but it is on the wrong track at the moment. Better off out is looking more and more like an actual sensible option.
The Govt created a Food Standards Agency.............one day I should like to know what it has been doing
ReplyDeleteCultural Diversity
My brain says 'reform, reform, reform,' but my heart cries, 'OUT! OUT! OUT!'
ReplyDeleteI grew up on raw, unpasteurised milk. To coin a phrase 'it didn't do me no 'arm'. Bloody Brussels Bureautwats having to justify their existence are guaranteed to put European businesses out of existence.
ReplyDeleteOr should I say, British businesses, as we are the only ones stupid enough to follow and enforce the letter of those laws - France and Italy just pay lip service to them - Bollox to Blair.
There's just one thing to say.
ReplyDeleteBETTER OFF OUT.
Of course, with leaders like Blair, Brown and the feckless Cameron not only will we lose our cheese industry but our sovereignty too.
UKIP - The way forward?
Are there any benefits to being in the EU at all? It is hard to think of *anything* that the EU has done that could be considered a success. Why is it "heavy-handed" to advocate withdrawal from such a basket case?
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you're keeping an open mind about your position on the EU, Iain.
ReplyDeleteTo me, the fact that the EU happened to cause the closure of this business is not quite the point. Had the EU upheld that company's business, I would still say we're "better off out", because the rules and laws which determine whether a business may continue to trade or not (and indeed the laws about everything) should be the laws passed by our own elected parliament, and by no-one else.
What sort of a crazy situation have we allowed ourselves to get into, when foreign edicts and directives have full primacy over our own laws? This is outrageous. We MUST leave the EU.
I prefer Off, Fuck and EU
ReplyDeleteIain, whats the Tory party going to do about this? Oh right, nothing. Ive asked before, what has to happen before you realise that you must support a party that wants out of the EU? Name your price
ReplyDeleteIs this an about the EU or regulation in general? Anyone familiar with the facts of the case would grant that Saint George himself may have shut this operation down. As agriculure becomes more intensive it becomes more risky. There seems, at this time, to be no alternative to a regulatory authority of some sort. If you don't understand this, try eating some raw chicken which is highly dangerous and should be regulated muich more, IMO.
ReplyDeleteTo conflate the fundamental difficulty of this issue with being in the EU is tabloid Toryism at it's worst. It's thoroughly naff.
raggasonic -
ReplyDelete'precautionary principle' is not the way food standards tests are performed or judged - I speak as one who early in my carrer spent weeks in a PHLS lab testing literally hundreds of tins of corned beef after the Aberdeen salmonella outbreak back in the 60s. If it passes it ships to shops - because it has been tested and shown not to be harmful - what other possible proof is there? If it fails, the establishment gets hammered. And dairies, food processing plants get tested regularly - usually every few days.
That's fair.
But 'precautionary principle' are weasel words when there are cut and dried testing procedures the compliance with which is required for and accepted as indication of a clean bill of health... somebody somewhere doesn't like that business and is looking to close it down. If there's no proof of infraction, no matter, let's say it's a precautionary principle.
Job done.
16words said:
ReplyDelete"Saint George himself may have shut this operation down."
Most interesting theory. How shall we find out one way or the other?
16 Words said:
ReplyDeleteAnyone familiar with the facts of the case would grant that Saint George himself may have shut this operation down.
According to Booker, the FSA said everything was fine. The Court said everything was fine. Only the Commission disagreed. Don't you think the Court should win? You know, rule of law and all?
Why do I sense a set of the stinky French fingers behind this? Maybe someone should check which French company is benefitting from the closure of this factory.
ReplyDeleteThe company seems to have been exporting to the EU, so it's a reasonable supposition.
ReplyDeleteI travel round france and they take no notice of what they dont like from the EU.
ReplyDeleteDo you think France would allow this to happen to them.
More good news for UKIP.
My own experience of the UK MEP’s and MP’s defending British manufacturers in the EU, has always been half hearted. Several years ago I was helping to import British made safety clothing into the EU. As one might expect the EU formulated a standard which is all well and good. Not many people appreciate however that to form a standard, representatives from all EU countries may participate in a year’s long designated commission. One would expect that experienced safety experts supported by each country, would be appointed to serve, but then there are the materials manufacturers and the major product manufacturers who are also allowed to attend. Now comes the crunch point! The major materials manufacturers are all large US conglomerates who can afford to send and maintain large delegations into committees within the EU and to be able to influence and make decisions which will exclude other smaller (EU) manufacturers by pushing their own patented materials. The same companies then have a restricted list of manufacturers that they will work with and dictate that these manufacturers must also buy special machinery (produced in the US) to sew or weld the materials when locally produced machinery could do the job at half the price. So in essence we have US corporations with satellite offices in Europe with their UK/German employees’ fêting public servants and EU lackeys while we all sit here and pay for it. It beggars belief that these people can elect themselves to be members of an EU commission and influence decisions which will benefit themselves.
ReplyDeleteUnless the people of Britain wake up and get the country out of the eu I can see only two outcomes and neither is particularly attractive.
ReplyDeleteEither the British people become like their French and Italian cousins and simply ignore the idiotic laws imposed on them. Or they continue to accept these iniquities like a nation of serfs only to see their country ground into the dirt.
So what's it to be, guys? Get the hell out of this corrupt mess or become scofflaws or slaves?
It's only the UK that takes the EU seriously... Best to ignotre them.
ReplyDelete