EU – Page 15 – Steve Baker

Post Tagged with: "EU"

I wonder what the weather is like on Planet EU?

by Steve Baker 14 April 2011 in Politics Comments are Disabled

Via Open Europe: The European Commission will next week propose that the budget for the European Union in 2012 should be increased from its current level. The proposal will set in train a prolonged period of wrangling between the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament, over both the total level […]

On Vickers: it’s time to end the fantasy that we can consume without producing

by Steve Baker 11 April 2011 in Politics Comments are Disabled

I’ll blog shortly about the Independent Commission on Banking’s Interim Report but, as I see Spain is thought by some to be next for a bailout, this quote from Mises’ Causes of the Economic Crisis seems apt: In discussing the situation as it developed under the expansionist pressure on trade […]

What happens when the great fantasies, like wind power or European Union, collide with reality? – Telegraph

by Steve Baker 10 April 2011 in Politics 1 comment

Via What happens when the great fantasies, like wind power or European Union, collide with reality? – Telegraph: When we embark on a course of action which is unconsciously driven by wishful thinking, all may seem to go well for a time, in what may be called the “dream stage”. But […]

It’s not our job to save the euro – Telegraph

by Steve Baker 10 April 2011 in Politics Comments are Disabled

Via It’s not our job to save the euro – Telegraph: The failure of the euro will signify the failure of the European ideal, and that is why eurocrats fight so hard for it. What should have been a club of free-trading nations over-reached itself, and sought to unite people with […]

European Union economic governance

by Steve Baker 17 March 2011 in Politics Comments are Disabled

I spoke last night in the European Union (Amendment) Act debate: Steve Baker (Wycombe) (Con): First, I wish to associate myself with the remarks of my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich and North Essex (Mr Jenkin). Too often when addressing questions such as the one under discussion we get bogged […]

Off to Brussels re transport

by Ex-staff 9 February 2011 in Politics Comments are Disabled

As I depart for Brussels to learn more about EU transport policy, here are some snippets of my contribution to the recent Transport Committee meeting on the subject. The uncorrected transcript can be found here. I have corrected my remarks in the few places necessary. On the Single European Rail […]

The EU’s own Peter Principle?

by Steve Baker 8 February 2011 in Politics Comments are Disabled

Via Find out more about a career in the European Union – Telegraph: Of course – it’s not for the faint hearted. The work is challenging. The EU Civil Service is relatively small. From your first day, you can expect to have a decent level of responsibility – you will […]

ConservativeHome’s Platform: Steve Baker MP: The EU is not yet beyond ridicule

by Steve Baker 3 February 2011 in Politics Comments are Disabled

Via ConservativeHome’s Platform: Steve Baker MP: The EU is not yet beyond ridicule: I enjoyed delivering a brief polemic against EU spending in yesterday’s debate on the 16th consecutive failure of the EU budget to pass audit. Over 90% of EU spending was “materially affected by error” but I shared […]

ConservativeHome’s Platform: Steve Baker MP: We must robustly and resolutely condemn fraud and error in the EU budget

by Steve Baker 2 February 2011 in Politics Comments are Disabled

The House should adopt a clear statement that it will not accept high levels of EU misspending. Taxation in this country remains the prerogative of the House of Commons, and so does payment to the European Union. Such a statement would not be without resonance in Brussels; while they may […]

EU transport policy

by Steve Baker 1 February 2011 in Politics 2 comments

Today, the Transport Committee learned that: We are stuck with the ridiculous Galileo project. If we don’t like aspects of the ‘Eurovignette’ in due course, we are stuck with it. The Government accepts the principle of central planning and wealth redistribution combined with attempts at market liberalisation, despite the failure […]