The EU Commission's recently appointed President, Jean-Claude Junker has indicated that the UK is unlikely to secure one of the top jobs it seeks when they are carved out/up next weekend. He is it seems upset that there are not enough females in the top positions. Unlike last time around, Britain has not put forward a female candidate. "Unfortunately, and despite MY (the capitals are ours) repeated request, most of the governments insist on sending male candidates."
Just who is the unelected (other than by a show of hands around a table by EU leaders) chief civil servant of the EU imagine he is to be laying down the law on gender balances or imbalances? It is not beyond imagination that most eligible women are too sensible to want anything to do with these posts. It is certainly insufficient grounds for blocking the candidates from senior or desired roles. He may not like it but his job is to work with whoever the member states nominate and this should be made very clear to him before he and the Commission rush further out of control.
This latest intervention by EU's leading beaurocrat says all one needs to know about why the enormous Brussels machine needs urgent reform before it leaves Earth's orbit and spins into outer space powered by hubris and the endless money which is an overhead on the cost of everything that is made or done in Europe. In its original form as a Common Market, the organisation had a valid purpose in facilitating intra-European trade and adding value. Once France and Germany's underlying agenda of creating a political federation led by themselves broke cover it began its trajectory to becoming an ever increasing constraint and liability on everything Europe did. Europe's wealth lies in its enormous diversity of cultures, geography, and political and economic systems. To crush these under foot ,-something that in a nightmare scenario could end up in the future being done militarily,- is disastrous. Underperformance and poverty lie in a monolothic, one size fits all, superstate ruled autocractically, indeed dictatorially, from a single centre riding arrogantly and roughshod over these differences. The politically misconceived single currency is just one example of what happens when uniformity is imposed.
The arch-federalist Mr Junker is stepping way outside his remit in trying to dictate to member states who, or what sort of person, they should put up for the Commissioner roles. Misguidedly and sitting deep inside the Brussels non reality bubble , he sees these appointments as HIS Vice-Presidents or deputies , not as the EU's. In other words he has (alarmingly quickly) taken to seeing the EU as his property rather than that of the member states, some of whom, notably the UK, he clearly doesn't like and treats with scorn. Only a hand wringing Nick Clegg, oblivious of the real issues and always willing to subjugate national interests to those of the federalists, could come out in favour of Mr Junker's attempts to lay down the law on the kinds of candidates put forward by governments,- and he has done.
Already it appears that David Cameron may be beginning to back away from making a big issue of this one. His nominee, the virtually unknown although maybe very competant Lord Hill, will be said to be happy with any role. Commissioner for Car Parking would be spun from Downing Street as a British triumph. That's how things currently are on the sea of pre-election aimlessness. All three main parties lack a helmsman or maybe even a rudder. Even the Scottish independence debate has descended into a squabble about details rather than the big issues of the pros and cons for everyone of the UK remaining intact. No sign of big pictures or the ability to generate excitement and forward momentum anywhere although the goal mouths are wide open for anyone who does.
This latest intervention by EU's leading beaurocrat says all one needs to know about why the enormous Brussels machine needs urgent reform before it leaves Earth's orbit and spins into outer space powered by hubris and the endless money which is an overhead on the cost of everything that is made or done in Europe. In its original form as a Common Market, the organisation had a valid purpose in facilitating intra-European trade and adding value. Once France and Germany's underlying agenda of creating a political federation led by themselves broke cover it began its trajectory to becoming an ever increasing constraint and liability on everything Europe did. Europe's wealth lies in its enormous diversity of cultures, geography, and political and economic systems. To crush these under foot ,-something that in a nightmare scenario could end up in the future being done militarily,- is disastrous. Underperformance and poverty lie in a monolothic, one size fits all, superstate ruled autocractically, indeed dictatorially, from a single centre riding arrogantly and roughshod over these differences. The politically misconceived single currency is just one example of what happens when uniformity is imposed.
The arch-federalist Mr Junker is stepping way outside his remit in trying to dictate to member states who, or what sort of person, they should put up for the Commissioner roles. Misguidedly and sitting deep inside the Brussels non reality bubble , he sees these appointments as HIS Vice-Presidents or deputies , not as the EU's. In other words he has (alarmingly quickly) taken to seeing the EU as his property rather than that of the member states, some of whom, notably the UK, he clearly doesn't like and treats with scorn. Only a hand wringing Nick Clegg, oblivious of the real issues and always willing to subjugate national interests to those of the federalists, could come out in favour of Mr Junker's attempts to lay down the law on the kinds of candidates put forward by governments,- and he has done.
Already it appears that David Cameron may be beginning to back away from making a big issue of this one. His nominee, the virtually unknown although maybe very competant Lord Hill, will be said to be happy with any role. Commissioner for Car Parking would be spun from Downing Street as a British triumph. That's how things currently are on the sea of pre-election aimlessness. All three main parties lack a helmsman or maybe even a rudder. Even the Scottish independence debate has descended into a squabble about details rather than the big issues of the pros and cons for everyone of the UK remaining intact. No sign of big pictures or the ability to generate excitement and forward momentum anywhere although the goal mouths are wide open for anyone who does.
