The EU and bureaucratic indifference to democracy
Just a short one before I depart the blogosphere for the weekend. With news that the leaders of the EU27 have decided to appoint Baroness Ashton the High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the EU Commission (or something similarly convoluted), you would think this might be a good time to be talking about further democratic reform, you know, to assuage the fears of millions that the EU doesn’t listen and doesn’t care what they think.
Not if you are Baroness Ashton. Courtesy of the BBC:
On BBC Radio 4′s Today programme, Baroness Ashton dismissed claims that she had never been elected and that millions of Europeans had had no say in her appointment. “Their 27 elected heads of state have had a say and they all decided on me,” she said.
So that’s alright then.
She rejected criticism the appointments had been decided in secret saying: “We should never take away those opportunities for heads of state to talk frankly to one another.” EU leaders were “very comfortable” with her appointment, she said. “This is not about a fudge, it’s about trying to reach a conclusion.”
Because people who aren’t national leaders obviously can’t be trusted to reach a conclusion and vote accordingly.
The whole thing just reeks of smugness on the part of the Baroness. Never mind that the European electorate haven’t been allowed to choose who they want standing at the top of the European pyramid they didn’t vote to have. Never mind that diplomacy in secrecy means diplomacy in secrecy from the electorate, not from other world leaders or from European bureaucrats who took part in the scheming.
Hardly very democratic.
It’ll be gone soon, but for the record Wikipedia as of 1605hrs 20 November reads:
‘A British Labour politician, she was chosen as Europe’s foreign minister by way of several rounds of flagrant horse trading, by people so out of touch of the electorate that it makes Communist Russia look positively free and open, at a summit of 27 EU leaders, all nose deep in the gravy train, in Brussels on 19 November 2009, which also nominated Belgium’s prime minister, Herman Van Rompuy to the post of President of the European Council.’
You’ve not been anywhere near wikipedia today have you, Semple, by any chance?
*whistles innocently*
Absolutely coincidentally, I was busy doing the Upholland Ward leaflet (for the small town between Skelmersdale and Wigan where Baroness ashton was born in 1956)when the news broke. I had space enough for a ‘Late Breaking New’ item before it went to the printer today, and while I usually resist tongue in cheek temptations in local leaflets, I couldn’t help writing last night:
‘In late breaking news, Upholland becomes centre of Europe
As we go to press, we’re pleased to note that Baroness Ashton of Upholland (born here in 1956) has become the new ‘Foreign Minister’ for the European Union following the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.
We’re not yet certain whether she will be using Brussels or Upholland as her main base, but if there are moves to build a super-ministry on the carpark behind the Co-op with the creation of thousands of jobs in areas ranging from simultaneous translation to international catering, you’ll be the first to know.’
Totally agree here Dave.
The council in itself is a shoddy institution. It should be popularly elected.