• General

  • Truss (general uk sucks thread)

Along_the_Wire Racism combined with old cunts harking back the golden age of Great Britain are responsible for Brexit. I hope they all die, frankly.

Its the elephant in the room and you’re probably right, it’s clearer now that people laid their hats on economic pipe dreams, well at least those who aren’t outwardly racist, and they were badly misinformed. The rest of the knuckledraggers driven by prejudice and racism of course.
Those pointing their fingers at bureaucrats in Brussels and not seeing the difference between them and the chickenhawks in Westminster will always be a mystery to me.

    Along_the_Wire oh come on mate, we’ve all got friends that are politically different to us haven’t we? Whether my mate voted Brexit, Tory or is a momentum member is not isn’t high on my criteria of what makes a decent mate.

        alistair people that voted Brexit are no fucking friends of mine pal. I can just about get over one or two of them voting Tory.

          bosstrabs the likes of Charles Michel not actually being elected by and accountable to voters

          He’s elected by the people the voters elect.

          It’s not really any different from say the role of the Bundespresident in Germany’s democratic system (currently Steinmeier).

          It’s hardly a huge deal. The EC Presidents get 2.5 year terms and the Council can also vote to remove them. They seem to mostly be mediators and administrators rather than having any significant power.

              hugopal He’s elected by the people the voters elect.

              It’s not really any different from say the role of the Bundespresident in Germany’s democratic system (currently Steinmeier).

              It’s hardly a huge deal. The EC Presidents get 2.5 year terms and the Council can also vote to remove them. They seem to mostly be mediators and administrators rather than having any significant power.

              It is a huge deal and it’s the same for von der Leyden. The executive should be elected by, accountable to, and removed by the people, in whom sovereignty resides.

              It majorly pisses me off that the EU and its most ardent supporters don’t fully recognise that this (rightly) allows Euroscepticism to breed.

                hugopal it’s one step removed. Do you know what the average turnout is at EU elections in the UK? About 35%. No one gives a fuck. You call that democratic legitimacy? Who votes for Commissioners (people with real power) and the EU presidents? They are political appointees, often failed politicians like Peter Mandelson. Same with Junker, von der Leyen etc.

                    alistair it’s one step removed. Do you know what the average turnout is at EU elections in the UK? About 25%. No one gives a fuck. You call that democratic legitimacy.

                    The fact that people don’t bother to vote for something despite the fact that they can is not really the same thing as there being a lack of democratic accountability.

                    The European Commission has similarities to the UK Civil Service, which isn’t voted for either. It’s a workhorse of intelligent and qualified minds that is ultimately accountable to and sits underneath the elected bodies.

                        hugopal The European Commission has similarities to the UK Civil Service, which isn’t voted for either.

                        The European Commission is the executive.

                            All infinitely preferable to the hegemonic Tory, Old Estonian soup we have in Westminster.

                              Millsy All infinitely preferable to the hegemonic Tory, Old Estonian soup we have in Westminster.

                              But committed Europhiles (apparently Hugo) miss the point completely.

                              It’s that the whole opaque system and the distancing of the executive from the popular vote is what feeds Euroscepticism and gives it its most potent weapons.

                              Yet Europe blunders on, not recognising that, being too myopic to embark on the genuinely democratic reforms needed.

                                  bosstrabs this was all so avoidable had they given an inch to Cameron on his tour of prostration before the referendum. Tone deaf

                                      bosstrabs I mean, a lot of the regulations are investigated, implemented and enforced by the Commission and the Commission’s Civil Service in the same way that the UK Civil Service operates.

                                      Legislation is often driven by and requested by the voted for Council and Parliaments.

                                      The legislation has to then be approved by the Council and Parliament .

                                      The lead Commissioners are also appointed by the Council.

                                      It’s hardly as if it operates in a vacuum. It does not hold “Executive Power” in the same way and to the same extent that many other so-called Executives do in democracies. They ultimately still have to act in a way which is agreed upon and approved by the Council and Parliament.

                                      Which particular elements of these so-called “Executive” powers which the Commission holds are so egregious and unusual, and can not be held to account by the Parliament and Council?

                                          hugopal I mean, a lot of the regulations are investigated, implemented and enforced by the Commission and the Commission’s Civil Service in the same way that the UK Civil Service operates.

                                          Legislation is often driven by and requested by the voted for Council and Parliaments.

                                          The legislation has to then be approved by the Council and Parliament .

                                          The lead Commissioners are also appointed by the Council.

                                          It’s hardly as if it operates in a vacuum. It does not hold “Executive Power” in the same way and to the same extent that many other so-called Executives do in democracies. They ultimately still have to act in a way which is agreed upon and approved by the Council and Parliament.

                                          Which particular elements of these so-called “Executive” powers which the Commission holds are so egregious and unusual, and can not be held to account by the Parliament and Council?

                                          Alright mate, then you fly back here, via a time machine, to provincial England circa late 2015, and make your point to convince all those people who are going to vote Brexit based on this.

                                          Because fuck knows I tried hard enough to dissuade plenty of people from voting Brexit, but now you put it like that, I’m sure you’ll have their ear.

                                              PS when you go, use the word ‘egregious’ a lot.

                                              Millsy Old Estonian

                                              Fairly sure there no Estonians in Government.

                                              I could be wrong though.

                                                  bosstrabs sure, some people would just rather listen to misleading soundbites from Nigel Farage.

                                                      hugopal sure, some people would just rather listen to misleading soundbites from Nigel Farage.

                                                      The question ‘How do we remove them?’ posed by Tony Benn (cited previously by Alistair) is a reasonable one though.

                                                      How do you personally remove von der Leyen?

                                                      Removing Boris Johnson is straightforward, although obviously you have to wait for the next GE.

                                                          It’s a big problem that the EU and its staunchest followers don’t see that as a particularly problematic issue.