Posts Tagged brown
nEUROsis
Posted by Pete Quentin in European Union on 01/12/2008
Last week, Shadow Health minister, Andrew Lansley said that the recession could be “good for us”. Amidst public outcry he quickly apologised for his sarcastic and insensitive comment, but it seems that euro-enthusiasts might begin to see a silver-lining as the economic black clouds descend, because the economic turmoil has driven the debate about the UK joining the euro back into the headlines.
The public’s tax priority: stability
Posted by Nick Cowen in Tax and Spend on 28/05/2008
After Brown’s £2.7 billion bailout over the 10p tax debacle, the multiple taxes on motorists are now coming under greater scrutiny. In the early years, the majority of attacks directed against the Labour Government were the introduction of stealth taxes. That criticism no longer applies. A doubling in vehicle excise duty on ordinary family cars fails to achieve what any ‘decent’ stealth tax would do: creep into the family budget, bite a little chunk out of it and sneak it back to the Treasury, preferably without the public noticing. The ruse will probably be discovered months later but by then is relegated to a mere bullet point in a Tax Payers Alliance briefing. They are not meant to generate newspaper campaigns against them. So the Government’s tax strategy appears to have de-cloaked and, although it has taken on a green mantle, it does not appear any less ugly for it.
Political Games
Posted by Pete Quentin in European Union on 31/03/2008
The EU’s leg of the Olympic relay race has begun and a couple of mistimed exchanges when passing the baton (buck) of foreign policy has already left it without a hope of winning gold, writes Claire Daley.
As the Olympic torch shuffles its way across the continents, a parallel relay race is taking place within the EU. Actually with more characteristics of a giant game of ‘hot potato’, member states are passing the buck on an apparently “apolitical issue” – China’s handling of protesters in Tibet.
Could the Irish save OUR independence?
Posted by Pete Quentin in European Union on 22/01/2008
Parliament is currently debating the passing of yet more powers to the EU, through ratification of the successor treaty to the constitution, most eloquently described by Giscard d’Estaing, former French President and architect of the original document, as ‘the same letter; just in a different envelope’.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot?
Posted by Pete Quentin in European Union on 03/01/2008
New Year celebrations; Auld lang syne, people uniting, setting off fireworks…
Slovenia takes on the EU Presidency for the first half of 2008 and New Year revelries look set to continue, with the diminutive state pledging to encourage supra-national unity to “strengthen the European perspective” and “promote dialogue between cultures, beliefs and traditions”, writes Claire Daley.
Elves and Safety (Bumper Xmas Edition)
Posted by Pete Quentin in European Union on 21/12/2007
Brown’s belated signing of the Lisbon Treaty has been documented well enough and there’s not much I could add to the chorus of criticism that surrounds his doing so without granting what everyone wants for Christmas – a referendum. This despite earlier that very same day having declared to the House of Commons that ‘you cannot make decisions and assume that people will simply follow them. Most decisions can only be successful if people are part of the process!’ What was of more interest was the following end-of-year summit in Brussels and another opportunity for those at the heart of the EU to indulge themselves in some hollow posturing…