Tuesday, June 9, 2015

As if we lacked any of it

Lord Dykes (and here) who has turned up on this blog from time to time as the man who is guaranteed to come up with some easily debunkable europhiliac comments has surpassed himself. He has introduced a Private Member's Bill, which is unlikely to go very far, under the title of European Union (Information etc) Bill.

Its purpose is
Make provision for information to be available in various public places relating to the activities and organisation of the European Union; to make provision for the flying of the flag of the European Union on various government and public buildings; to provide information to further the establishment of twinning arrangements between towns in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the European Union in accordance with the European Union’s town twinning support scheme; and for connected purposes.
His lordship is entitled to his ideas, of course, and is entitled to some of the House's time and expense (it will not be a great deal) but one cannot help wondering what he has in mind.

What, for example, is his definition of "various public places"? Are we to have this gumf showered on us when we go to public parks? Or enter a public house? And - crucial question - will this Bill, should it ever become an Act, which it will not, allow for well-researched information about the European Union that does not exactly present a rosy picture also be available?

As to the rest, there are already provisions for the flying of that wretched flag on public buildings but, curiously enough, a good many people do not want to see it. As these are public buildings, funded by the public a.k.a. taxpayer, the public should have some say on the matter.

Nor do we lack information about all those jollies for civic dignitaries and suchlike twinning arrangements. So, what precisely is the purpose of this Bill (not that it is going anywhere)?

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