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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

When Ukip's recruitment sergeant number one came to town...

Update 15:00 Nigel Farage himself speaks:
Update 11:50 - We've come across a video (h/t @hughbs) in which Reding very much stands by the 70%-80% estimate.

Update 11:15 - The Telegraph's man in Brussels, Bruno Waterfield, has gotten in touch to say that he asked Reding specifically about the 70% figure:
However, at a similar event in Stockholm last year, she argued that:
"Did you know that 80% of Swedish laws are not Swedish laws? They are European laws that have been translated into Swedish legislation."
We've already examined this claim here, but it seems Reding is at best confused about the extent of EU legislation (worrying for an EU Commissioner) or being purposefully misleading.

UKIP's most effective recruitment sergeant?
Original post:

Where to start with Viviane Reding? She visited London yesterday as part of her so-called 'Citizens’ Dialogue' – which is neither about citizens nor a dialogue – and gave a very impressive performance. Somehow, she managed to offend absolutely everyone.
  • The British public by questioning whether they "know what they are going to vote about" in a potential 2017 EU referendum, 
  • The British media by suggesting it “completely distorts the truth” over Europe, 
  • The British government by rubbishing large parts of its strategy, most notably on the crime and policing opt out and EU free movement, 
  • Europhiles by suggesting that “70% of the laws in this country are made, co-decided, by the European parliament" (meaning that the share of EU laws, according to Reding, must be higher since not all EU decisions are made jointly with national parliaments) – a “euro myth” that ivory-tower types in the UK have spent years trying to “dispel”, and ironically, used as Exhibit A in their accusations of “misinformed media” (“6.8% of primary legislation” and all that),
  • The Ukrainian protesters by praising their brave, pro-EU stance, and then later saying she has, unlike the UK, "never pushed for further enlargement" instead favouring deeper integration. 
So in short, the British are too ignorant to vote, British media all misinformed and 70% of UK laws are made in Brussels. As one person put it on Twitter, it’s hard to think of better “rocket fuel for those who want to quit the EU”.

Apparently, Reding got her bag stolen from her car while engaging in the “dialogue”. Fortunately, her papers, hopefully including the source for the “70% of all laws” claim, were left untouched.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

People are tuning to Ukip not just because of the European Union yes people have a concern about the E.U but a bigger concern is the how the politicians in Westminster are viewed by most people ( me included ) see them as professional politicians who are shallow and opportunistic
The one thing Politics ought to be above all else is honest but unfortunately it's not it's full of spin and half truths and when that fails, lies it doesn’t matter if you’re a Conservative Liberal Democrat or labor, party mantra comes before any sort of national interest
You only have to look at the expenses scandal to see how far apart mps really are from the voter in the street when it blew up in their faces most of them said "it's ok i have paid it all back and it was just bookkeeping errors anyway and we are sorry" and then a few sacrificial lambs were thrown in to the courts in the hope that that would keep everyone happy
So people look at Ukip and think yes a lot of what they say makes sense so what the hell all the others lie anyway so let's give them a go

Rollo said...

Good old Vivianne: she should get a medal for telling the truth; all our leaders just give us bullshit.
Please all join the UKIP if you care for democracy, freedom and your country.

Anonymous said...

I've been a UKIP member for 10 years. The only reason I joined was because I believe that the established political class had lied to everyone in Europe about the true aims of what was originally The Common Market. The aims have always been to create a European super state run on similar lines to the old Soviet Politburo. I want every one to have a democratic vote on whether or not they want to give up national sovereignty to a group of unelected Eurocrats. The rise of UKIP has rattled the Europhiles and is forcing them to except that they can't dictate and lie to us. The only reason politicians are now discussing our involvement with the EU is a direct result of the pressure from UKIP. If you want to be able to hold our politicians to account in this country we must leave the EU. Otherwise we might as well get rid of our politicians and turn Westminster and the House of Lords in apartment blocks.

Anonymous said...

So the EU and Redding stole our democracy, way of life and culture.

And we only managed to steal her Cottage Pie (and from a Farmer's Market too) from the back of her car. Doesn't sound very fair to me.

I don't care whether it is 70% or 5% of laws that are formed by the EU. It is the fact that any laws are formed by them as NONE OF US HAVE VOTED FOR THEM TO DO SO.

SC

AuntyEUnice said...

She's not the first to say we are too ignorant to vote on our future. Gordy Brown mumbled the same thing when he refused the vote on Lisbon.
People like these expect us to trust them with our future and to ignore populism when at least, it doesn't insult us.

Freedom Lover said...

I know the obnoxious Vivienne Reding is not a British citizen, but if she is a Vice-President of an organization - the EU - that is the source, so she says, of “70% of the laws in this country [ie the UK] {which} are made, co-decided, by the European parliament", then she must be at least a 70% fellow citizen of all British people.

Lord Haw-Haw was more American than British, but was still judged sufficiently British to be granted British citizenship after the war, so legitimizing charges against him of treason, automatically leading to his execution. So is the euro-fanatic Vivienne therefore sufficiently British for her to be granted British citizenship - whether she wants it or not - therefore making her eligible at least for impeachment?

If so, where would they put her? The Tower of London? And would she enter it by the Traitor's Gate? Sounds the right place for her, doesn't it?

Unknown said...

Why do we allow about 5 million foreigners (3.5 million of them EU citizens) to vote in in Britain the May EU elections? www.snouts-in-the-trough.com

Anonymous said...

Politicians like Reding, Brown, Clegg, Cameron and Millipede may think that we are too ignorant to be allowed a vote on certain things such as OUR VERY OWN SOVEREIGNTY.

The problem for them is that when they screw up so badly (which they have done) then the continual denial of our democratic right is tantamount to a coup d'état.

Leaders of failed coups normally pay the ultimate price for failure.

Can't wait to stick them on trial.

SC

Rik said...

1. The funniest thing that all 3 large groups have for next EP election come out with absolutely horrible candidates: Reding, Schultz, Verhofstadt (or something like that). The only roles not casted for a proper soap are the traditional lazy, dodgy Latino/Greek and the EastBlock crook.

So this PR disaster is almost guaranteed: To Be Continued.

2. As far as reform goes this is the stage to create a platform for that, which is because of the new crew (and old crew at the same time) going by itself.
All look to be in the extreme poor in making strategic corrections not even to mention execute them properly.

3. Parties like IP simply prosper on the traditional parties having got disconnected with their voterbase. Traditional parties have a serious credibility problem. And seem barely able to adjust themselves another clear indication that the overall quality of people in Western politics is simply appaling.
When that takes longer than an electoral cycle (period), you can be in trouble. If it last 4 or 5 of those (like now all over Europe) you are nearly guaranteed to get into trouble.

Just waiting for an alternative product that gets enough media attention.
It is the choice between what shows up for the election. So if the traditional parties have been failing their voters, at some time even a pretty crappy alternative will be considered. People rather take the devil they know, but with crappiness it not always works that way. If the normal product is proven crappy why not try something new on the market at worst it is crappy as well.

4.One guy is enough now as well in the internet media age. All parties have basically only one face, the traditionals as well.
PR goes via all sorts of media with the traditionals not able anymore to keep unwanted candidates out, they simply go Facebook&Co. At that point the traditional media are forced to pay attention to it. And anyway Farage is much more newsworthy as a person than Balls or Hague.
The political rhetoric has changed. Before it was the middle voter adressed mainly via facts. Now it is the middle voter and the voters on the extremes. But requiring completely different approaches. Middle still reasoning mainly but at the extremes mudslinging works best. Plus the enemy of your enemy is the best candidate. The more Reding&Co go against something the more appealing that will look to the potential voterbase of populist/alternative parties. And as these kind of remarks are newsworthy it puts them on the map as well (the IP brand gets better known and earlier recognised on top of that).
In that respect Cameron's referendum strategy is one of the few things that likely will work for both groups. The middlegroups will see it in the light of democracy and getting grip on the out of control EU. The IP side will after some thoughts see it as the by far best realsitc alternative while it also cn be clearly explained that anyway even if your Dave would want otherwise there is simply no majority for that as the referendum theatre showed.

5. Anyway I expect because what we have seen all over Europe that there will be a very good result for IP in next EP election as it is seen as a 2nd (at best) class election.
They have the 'times' with them and a lot of voters will like to make it clear what the direction is they want the other parties to go.
General elections are however a totally different ballgame. Where the referendum will very likely work into the other direction. Simply forcing IP voters even hardcore ones to make a strategic choice show your own ideas with no real results or be practical and go for the best realistic option (which is your Dave).

Rik said...

@Aunty
Indeed. What is worse: Fruitcakes or FrEUtcakes?

Anonymous said...

An EUSSR Commissioner outright states that 75 - 80% of EUSSR inmate nations' laws are made by Brussels, and the Eurofascist at Open Europe say she's wrong?

Essentially, Open Europe is asking us: "Who are you going to believe, us or your own lying ears?"

Open Europe is quickly going the way of the Euro, the EUSSR and the Dodo.

Thank goodness for that.

Anonymous said...

I like the comment, EP 'co-decides' on 70% of all EU legislation what she actually means is rubber stamps the commission proposals, they have no legal right to raise any proposals themselves. She should speak out more because every time she opens her bout a europhile turns europhobe.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely lady, the best recruitment entity for UKIP !

Anonymous said...

This is all getting very frightening. I read this today in the Telegraph:

„The legal office of the European Central Bank (oddly) asserts that Britain cannot now leave the EU because a long period of settled membership creates modified status quo under the convention of treaties.“

What a truly terrifying statement! This argument could have been used to prevent ANY colony from ever regaining independence.

„It claims that there is now a “new legal order”. This transcends a “largely obsolete concept of sovereignty” and imposes a “permanent limitation” on states’ rights.“

When did Europeans get to vote on wether they wanted a „new legal order“ to replace their own?


http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ambroseevans-pritchard/100026618/whatever-your-view-on-eu-migrants-swiss-show-sovereignty-really-matters/

christina speight said...

Lying is part of the job description.

christhai said...

It is past time to leave this criminal organisation, the EU.

The EU Controlled Parties of Labour, Conservative and the despicable LibDems have been compromised and can no longer speak for the British people.

UKIP is not a centuries old British Political Party. It is familiar with the EU which is why, in its naivete and thus honesty - it is the right, indeed the ONLY Party which British people can trust.

Viviane Reding, for all her stupidity is still second in the EU hierarchy. Consider her boss, Barroso and it tells us a great deal about this corrupt organisation.

There can be no half-way house. There can be no compromise. For safety's sake the UK must avoid "a deal".

We must say thank you, so nice knowing you, but we are leaving the political EU as soon as we possibly can -even if it means fighting our own EU Corrupted politicians.

UKIP - thank you for what you were and have become. I hope one day you will be the Government of the UK and an inspiration to all who love Freedom in the subject countries of the EU.

Denis Cooper said...

I guess that many people in this country who heard what she said will be asking:

"Who is this bloody woman, and who does she think she is?".

And rightly so.

Which foreign country does she come from?

Oh,Luxembourg.

Why are we having somebody from this tiny country of Luxembourg, population half a million, not much more than Bristol, laying down the law to us?

And why did our forefathers even bother to liberate it from the Nazis when it's bred somebody like her?

Anonymous said...

The question that must be answered immediately by our three political parties (Lib/Lab/Con) and our House of Lords is :

How come that 70-80% of our sovereign powers have been handed over to a foreign entity with no permission from the electorate?

In addition, there appear to be no :

1. Checks, balances and power of veto for extreme situations (such as unbridled immigration due to the MananaZone imploding)

2. No sovereign override for situations where the EU/ECB/ECHR et all overstep their legal remit and try to grab power and sovereignty.


We need to put our MPs and Lords on trial for their lives. WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU DONE TO US?

SC

Rik said...

Who do you think you are kidding mrs Reding,
If you think we're on the run,
We are the ones that will stop you're little game,
We are the ones that will make you think again,

So who do you think you are kidding Mrs Reding
If you think old England's done,

Christina just went up to town on the 8.21,
But she'll be home this evening and she'll kick you in the bum,

REP.

Average Englishman said...

How does it go?

"You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but not all of the people all of the time."

The truth will come out eventually and it sometimes comes from unexpected directions like an EU Commissar. As witnessed by the increasingly EU sceptic tone of this blog, (notwithstanding the efforts of the Open Europe team to explain how reasonable and wonderful the EU really is if only one can be bothered to engage with them), the UK population is slowly but surely beginning to understand just how much of an effect the EUSSR is having upon their day-to day lives and how much more the boys and girls in Brussels intend to do so in the future. This is not a passing fad, we will have our freedom and no piece of paper generated in Brussels or anywhere else will stop this trend.