Quote of the day 5th January 2016

"As Labour MPs are too busy attacking each other, it falls to Alistair Campbell to wallop the Tories with a furious article for the International Business Times, "Flood Damage is a cruel metaphor for Tory failure to see that cuts have consequences."

Mr Campbell resigned as Tony Blair's chief strategist in 2003. Back then the government's total annual spending was the equivalent of £609 billion (at 2014/15 prices).

This year austerity Osborne plans to spend the equivalent of £746 billion - an increase of 22%"

 (Roland White in the Sunday Times)

Comments

Jim said…
Ah well, since Alistair Campbell can't wallop the torys either, I guess, once again, Its down to me to ask the questions.

so Chris,
can you explain to the nice readers what the acquis communautaire is, how it works, how its been endorced so many times, and why?

or do I have to do that as well?
6:39 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
The official definition is the body of court decisions, treaty and other case law which comprises European Union law and lists the issues over which the EU has competence.

I have heard it convincingly described as the belief of Eurocrats that once they gain control of an issue they should never have to hand it back, least of all to voters.

If you have an alternative definition I would be interested to hear it.
11:13 pm
Jim said…
The acquis communautaire is all the EU treaties, all the regulations and all the directives so far passed though the EU.

In order for any new applying member to join the EU under article 49 of TEU, then they have to accept it all without exception. they are allowed to negotiate time limited "transitional derogations" to allow the state to position its self to accept the rule, but they are always time limited and must be re-applied at the end of the derogation.

On a new state joining then every other member state must sign the new treaty, which means they sign to say they agree with/ are endorsing their allegiance/compliance to the acquis communautaire. This includes things like environmental protection and biodiversity in rivers.


I could go off on a tangent, and ask why did DC agree and sign a treaty in saying he totally agrees with the acquis communautaire, in July 2013 when Croatia joined, yet at the same time was saying it needs reformed? But the more important point is that we now have muddied the waters so much that no one can easily tell if we are allowed to dredge our own rivers to prevent flooding anymore. And that is just it, flooding is a complex issue to begin with, but throw the EU in there as well and something that is a bit complex, all of a sudden becomes a minefield. Something people dare not enter, the result is more flooding.
4:55 pm
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