The European Championships

I haven’t watched a single game. I was out in my new canoe with my kids on Loch Lomond tonight. Much more fun than watching fitba’.

It’s No! (to be Sure!)

I heard Scottish (Labour) MEP David Martin bleating away on Radio Scotland tonight about the clear rejection of the European Constitution Lisbon Treaty by voters in the Irish Republic. “How can 1% of the EU electorate hold the rest of us to ransom?”, he complained. The answer David is simple, it’s because they were the 1% who were given the opportunity to voice an opinion! Why don’t we give all Europe’s voters a chance to have their say and see what the percentages are then? (excusing Ireland, France and Holland of course as they have already spoken)

He then went on to say that he’d heard someone from the “No” campaign say it was a good day for Irish farmers and fishermen. “I don’t see this at all” said Martin “The treaty would have given more powers to the European Parliament to improve things for these groups”. Excuse me David, but isn’t the EU responsible for the absolutely crap policies on fisheries and agriculture that we have already? The policies which put fishermen’s lives at risk as they put to sea in stormy conditions for they have no choice, because of quotas and days at sea? As for farmers I only have three words to say and they are common, agricultural and policy.

The Irish voters were scared, intimidated and blackmailed in to a yes vote. They still voted no. This should be a turning point for Europe and herald a period of reflection. Somehow I doubt this will be the case. The Lisbon Treaty is dead but something similar will be along soon. There’ll be meetings going on as I type where the agenda will be how to circumvent these pesky voters.

Kelvin McKenzie MP?

It couldn’t happen…………………………………could it?

Tom Waits

The Radio Cafe on Radio Scotland had a piece about Tom on Wednesday in advance of the Edinburgh gigs. If you CLICK HERE then listen again, its about 30 minutes in.

David Davis – A Note of Caution

Davis’ constituency, Haltemprice and Howden is in part the seat that was occupied by the fictional Conservative MP Alan B’Stard in the 1980s ITV sitcom The New Statesman.