Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#1
Mervyn King's comments have been well reported but less well reported is a speech by our MEP, Dan Hannen, in the European Parliament in Brussels, where he was directly addresssing and talking to a squirming Gordon Brown.
It is a short speech and well worth listening to, direct, clear, well targeted and highly articulate. This link will take you to a UTube video of it.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/daniel_hannan/blog/2009/03/24/so_i_said_to_gordon_brown_i_saidSid Pollitt
#2
Dan Hannen isn't our MEP. If we had wanted to elect someone who knocks the EU and takes the money we would have voted Ukip.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#3
A rather silly little response Sid. Nothing to say about what was a very impressive speech. It has been very well received on the web, not just the comments in the Telegraph either. This link I have noticed has appeared on Digital Spy and ARRSE as well, that I know of (nothing to do with me, I am not even a member of ARRSE)
Sid Pollitt
#4
It's a serious point, what is he and his like doing as an MEP? From what I can see not representing their constituents just throwing stones. That would be ok if they werent getting paid but they are - £63,000 a year I believe. I hope he aint standing in June.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#5
Serious point my a...
We all know Sid that you think only EU yes men should stand for the European Parliament. That is total and utter bull.
Who stands as a Conservative candidate is up to the Conservative Party and who gets elected is a matter for the electorate. Get over it. Dan is probably the most popular Conservative MEP and he topped the poll for the Conservative South East list. A good man and an excellent MEP.
Incidentally, according to Guido this speech is the most watched video on You Tube today. it is even featured on the famous US political site 'The Drudge Report'.
Sid Pollitt
#6
Do you think only KCC yes men should stand for the county elections? The KCC elections take place on the same day as the Euro ones and the Tory Party will be putting forward candidates that support the KCC, what it does and the electorate of Kent and I have no trouble with those candidates. The ones that get elected will receive an allowance of around £11,000 a year I believe.
Most of the Tory candidates in the Euros will be standing to represent their electorate, but I am concerned that some and all Ukip candidates for that matter will be standing as wreckers. I've been a councillor in opposition, you can and do oppose the ruling party but you are there to work for the common good and to make a difference to the electorate.
Opposing the institution itself is untenable. Especially when they get £63,000 a year plus travel allowance, plus 287 euro a day expenses, plus 190,000 euros office allowance and £36,000 for running a UK office. Dont tell me Hannen is principled to the extent of asking the allowance payable in euros is converted into pounds before it gets paid into his grubby bank account.
#7
Please define "excellent" in terms of MEPs. Genuinely, I am not clear on the criteria.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#8
Your mind works a very strange way, Sid.
The EU is a monster out of control and MEP's like Dan who are responsibly sceptical and do not go native, seduced by the gravy train, are worth their weight in gold. He has been at the forefront in exposing bad practices in the EU and exposing abuses. That, Bern, is what makes an excellent MEP. The EU is a controversial organisation in itself, unlike your example of KCC Sid, so there can be no comparison. Dan represents a majority sceptic view of the EU in the UK. A survey recently had 55% in favour of getting out.....
Leave it to the electorate Sid, it is a supreme arrogance to suggest to the electorate that they should only elect pro EU MEPs.
Incidentally
This is the Spectator's take on Dan's speech. It is certainly causing a remarkable impact given the little attention the broadcast news have given it.
""""Dan Hannan's speech yesterday was magnificent, in three and a half minutes he absolutely eviscerated Gordon Brown. Unsurprisingly, the speech received little attention on the broadcast news—Tory MEP attacks Labour Prime Minister is a dog bites man story.
But the speech has already has more than twenty-five thousand views on YouTube, Downing Street's video of Brown's address has had only 219 views.""""
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#9
In the interesats of balance here is Gordon's reply also on YouTube. Enjoy....
[URL][/URL]
Sid Pollitt
#10
From what I can see this Dan Hannen is up to his neck in what looks like gravy. If he wanted to lead a crusade or do exposes he could train up to be a journalist.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#11
"What makes Dan Hannan excellent" asks Bern
I suppose being repriminded by his party and ordered to apologise for comparing the German President of the European Parliament to the Nazis by suggesting that new powers given to Hans Gert Pottering reminded him of the Nazis Enabling Act of 1933.
After the June elections his new salary will be £73,584.00p together with an increase in his daily SOSO (sign on and sod off as its referred to)allowance of 287 Euros.
202,968 Euros for an Assistants allowance and
48,624 Euros for Office expenses (even though they get free office accommodation in the parliament)
And just to round things off he can claim 4000 Euros a year for an overseas trip so long as it is linked to work ie an MEP claimed his holiday money to travel to Bangkok for an half hour meeting.Has he never heard of a video conference !!!
Oh I nearly forgot MEPs accrue 1/30th for each year worked approx £2110 per year towards their inflation proof pension plus if they leave or get the tin tac they continue receiving a decent resettlement wedge.Thats bloody excellent package in my opinion.
Hannan(please note correct spelling) must be complaining all the way to his various bank accounts.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#12
after reading all the posts, it seems very clear that mr hannan will continue as mep, who would have the principles to turn down on that scale?
only someone with principles, they seem in short supply at the moment.
#13
HOW MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? I am uncharacteristically speechless.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#14
people still try to convince me of the european ideal.
let us not forget that most people do not know who their euro mp/mps are, so are hardly accountable.
at least our gwyn cannot get away with much, barry sees to that.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
#15
I think MEP and MP's wages should be urgrently reviewed before we have n o one voting at all!
please will they listen?
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#16
Better still get out of the EU and MEP salaries and perks will not matter to us.
I note that Dan's speech has now had over 525,000 hits! Not bad for a poorly publicised political speech by a virtual unknown (any political speech come to that).
Looking at comments on ARRSE and Digital Spy he has really touched a nerve, people love it, seeing someone so succinctly demolish Brown to his face.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#17
Keith
I agree that MP's salaries and expenses should be less complicated and more transparent.We obviously want to attract potential world and country leaders and to do so we must offer a reasonable and attractive pay package.
Ordinary MP,s salaries should be linked to the civil service pay structure but if they then proceed to the Cabinet it should be comparable to captains of outside industries and the PM should at least be in the footballers league.That way we may find someone who is willing to take a career break from leading a worldwide corporation and hopefully use his expertise leading this country.
We all know the old saying about what you get if you pay peanuts..buts let make only the very top of the tree lucrative and reduce the pay of the very large number of Division 4 constituency MP,s accordingly.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#18
Listening to Dan Hannan there was so moving and so true, but of course any one who is a Labour supporter will find it difficult, nay, impossible, to accept.
Lies, lies and more lies spout out of Gordon's mouth and no Labour supporter cares - that's the shame of it.
Whether it's finance, NHS, Police, Judiciary, crime, education, society anything, they (the Government) haven't got a clue - we do have a broken country and we know who's broken it over the last 12 years.
Loved the Gordon speech - great editing.
Roger
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#19
not much change there then roger,could say the same under thatcher/major period.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#20
I would take Hannan more seriously if,as other MEP's are doing,he handed back some of his allowances or salary.Some MEPs are sleeping on their free office space floor but still claiming the SOSO allowance.Most MEPs are claiming Mon-Friday but only reside there for 4 nights.Others are hiring their wife and children at enhanced rates whilst hiring a poorly paid secretary who does ALL the real work and paying her peanuts.
If he is so sincere about the UK leaving the EU he should have the good grace to refuse his salary and expenses and be suppported by either the Tory party whom he preports to represent or by donations from the anti EU lobby.
He is a two faced sycophantic gravy train self publicising second rate ex Torygraph journalist.Who is using the European Parliament to promote himself and fatten his off shore bank accounts.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)