Brexit and logistics

Yes, Westminster has private members' bills. But how many private members' bills make it through Westminster to legislation? Answer - vanishingly few.

The big difference is that the commissioners (the equivalent of ministers), who propose legislation, are not simply appointed by the personal whim of the leader of the governing party. Unlike their counterparts at Westminster.
And, as a result, any member can work with the relevant commissioner to bring forward a bill. That never happens in Westminster, because ministers are inherently political.

Their appointment is a consensus decision by all MEPs, no matter their political view.
Each country's government proposes one candidate for commissioner - and, yes, they can be rejected by MEPs when they are elected. There's usually one or two rejected at "interview" each time round, simply for being lacklustre - but in 2019, two were rejected before they even got that far, because of conflicts of interest.

And, of course, you'd NEVER get ministers at Westminster being accused of having conflicts of interest... Oh, no... Heaven forfend.

www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/26/meps-reject-two-eu-commissioner-candidates

Oh, and let's not forget the upper house at Westminster. 783 totally unelected members (vs 650 elected MPs), all of whom were appointed for life by the PM of the day... except for the 92 who are there solely because of accidents of birth, and 26 who are there solely because they are bishops. Every single piece of legislation has to get past them, too...

And, yes, members of the HoL can be ministers, too.

There have been multiple occasions where people have been ennobled for the prime purpose of becoming ministers - most recently Zac Goldsmith, failed London mayoral candidate amidst accusations of racist campaigning, and ennobled in 2019 immediately after failing to get re-elected as an MP. Most recently in the headlines for making his rather opulent Spanish holiday property (600 acres, helipad, two pools, £25k/week when let commercially, ownership via multiple off-shore trusts and companies) available to the PM, a gift which the PM is refusing to declare in the register of members' interests...

Now, which sounds more "totalitarian" to you?

Here's a bit of an overview as to the basic problem between the EU and the current Polish government.

www.ft.com/content/4f2d9e44-c5c9-4a48-ae2f-35531e7f9b3b

Simple version: The EU have said "No, judges and law have to take priority over political whim", in the context of forthcoming elections which the not-at-all ironically named "Law and Justice" party may not win... The election results have to be certified by the courts. Now, why would the government and judiciary disagree over whether to certify election results? Oh, yes, and also in the context of the government's persecution of minorities.

The UK government is also threatening to "correct" judicial rulings it doesn't like, if you recall...

Now, which side of that sounds closer to "totalitarianism"?

Ask him what?

If he'd rather be back in the 1980s? Or the 1990s? He must have a short memory... Is his taxi still an FSO, for a start? No, thought not.

Post-communism inflation of 250% had fallen to only about 100% in 2000, with unemployment rocketing from an official zero at the fall of communism, to a peak of just over 20% prior to the 2004 accession... It's currently a bit over 5%.

GDP per capita, baselined at 100 in 1989 :


To put that into actual currency, they've gone from $1,700 GDP/capita in 1990 (vs $19k for the UK and $22.3k for Germany), just shy of $7k in 2004 (vs $41k for the UK and $34k for Germany), to $16k today (vs $41k for the UK and $47k for Germany).

Poland's done really rather nicely out of being an EU member...

I remember driving down the western side of Portugal in 1986 in our Hymer motorhome.   The main road was a thin layer of tarmac over the original cobbles so mainly potholes.   Years later it was replaced by a beautiful new motorway paid for by the existing EU members.   The only problem is that there was no money for maintenance so last time we went there it was in a bad state of repair.

So has Cornwall, but that didn't stop them voting for Brexit.

Our roads are sh&te because we have a terrific concentration of population using them.
Oh and wrong prioritising of council finance. A few years ago we dug up every road to a school so that children could receive broadband to play with and so deal with the crumbling trench .  Thank you Mr Blair.
Just step into the open spaces in Wales and its tarmac heaven until you hit Swansea. Smaller tractor use and less people.

'You've never been to Nordrhein-Westfalen or NL, have you?'

Actually, I have.
NL flat...no comparison except with UK Fens...a good driving area ,was in Kings Lynn last month for the festival.

Also Nordrhein-Westfalen had a flood shock that will give them the pot hole problems that we face EVERY year (and yes,I do visit as have a relative in Paderborn) .

Actually, the roads there are sh*te too. I was shocked as I thought 'Germany' would be efficient . Found it was not so.Work ethic but no talent or inspiration to direct effort to excellence.

The Blair trench has been crumbling unrepaired for15 years .

It took three irish navies to dig the one from Clun to Newcastle School (5miles)
Between them they kept the local pub open at lunchtimes (it closed when they finished the job after18months work). The trench survived in better condition than the rest of the road , a large section has landslid and remains halfclosed for almost 2years.
Landslide due to pig ignorant english farmer not clearing drains every year and now refusing access to his land to effect major rebuild. 


'You should have a look at the roads round here in the arse end of nowhere...'

I cross the Teme at Knighton and the Welsh side is beaut black tarmac all the way to Newtown...