The 2004-2009 Barroso Commission is starting to wind down. Brussels has its eye on the European Elections in June, and the selection of a new Commission due to take office from 1st November. One of the Commissioners for whom I have developed quite some respect since 2004 is Margot Wallström; […]
Jean Quatremer has today penned a rather depressing post (in French) about how abstention from voting is likely to reach a new high in the European Parliament elections 4-7 June this year. How, he bemoans, can this be the case for the EP alors même que ses pouvoirs n’ont cessé […]
If you’ve come across this blog entry while searching Google for Damian McBride I suggest you take a look at this from Sunny at Liberal Conspiracy or this from Tom Harris MP – they delve more into the depths of the McBride issue than I do. If you want analysis […]
There is something really incomprehensible about Britain’s approach to terrorism. It seems that the government wants to use every technological, physical and PR tactic they can to make people feel more scared safer. The most recent is a billboard campaign from the British Transport Police urging you to snoop on […]
I lived in Berlin for 6 months in late 2001 / early 2002; since then I feel I have been playing catch up, trying to understand a city that I was too young to fully appreciate when I lived there. Perhaps I should rephrase: I reasons I enjoyed my time […]
A friend working for a Swedish NGO asked me whether it would be possible to keep an eye on Facebook Groups from within a Netvibes Universe. Seems like a good idea as going to each group in turn to see what’s being discussed is a bit of a headache. But […]
OK, so the first race of the season is behind me – the Berlin Inline Half Marathon took place this morning. My result is here. I managed the 21km in 46 mins 9 seconds, giving an average speed for the race of 27.82km/h. Overall I finished in 175th place of […]
The seating order at the pre-summit dinner is vital (Indonesia and South Korea should be especially happy apparently), the UK is gripped by Michelle Obama’s dresses and the fact she towers over the queen and Barack gave the queen an iPod. In the meantime all the sherpas are beavering away […]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LHqpzjMTD Oh, you can just imagine them chortling away in the TaxPayers’ Alliance producing the above video about the Common Agricultural Policy. It contains a heady mix of fact and prejudice and there’s even a report to go with it. The ‘stats’ in the TaxPayers’ Alliance report are correct in […]
It’s pleasing to see that there are finally some high level politicians voicing their critique of José Manuel Barroso with the determination that he should not get a second term of office as President of the European Commission. Anyone But Barroso lives! First of all the European Greens at their […]
My discontent about the lack of choice about the future President of the European Commission is well known. But it seems – bizarrely – that the choice of the President of the European Parliament might actually become a bit more interesting. President of the EP is a largely symbolic role, […]
The Onion has done an ace spoof on modern airports – Prague’s Franz Kafka Airport. For anyone that has had the misfortune to pass through Terminal 3 at London Heathrow some of this is just a little too close to the truth… and it’s also very close to the truth […]
