And So To Brussels…
As of now I am in the air, en route to Brussels for a ride on the gravy train that is the European Parliament. I’ll blog the full details of it after the trip, but for now let’s just call it an ‘all expenses and above’ covered trip.
Basically, Struan Stevenson, Conservative MEP for Scotland, has arranged a trip for members of Conservative Future Scotland (the youth wing of the Tories for those of you not in the know) to the European Parliament. Given that our itinery kicks off at 0930 hrs tomorrow morning, we have decided to travel today to take full advantage of the Brussels social scene this evening.
Today is a relaxing day. Tomorrow we have a full agenda of tours, meetings and greetings with various aspects of the parliament. I will of course keep you abreast with our activities right here on Green’s Diary.
Code named ‘ operation better off out’ (which will become quite clear after I return to he UK), we will be sampling the EU fisheries committee, meeting other MEPs, taking full advantage of the Belgium beers and of course consuming a fair amount of fine food.
Now, before you all scream, “students these days, what are they like? Weren’t like that in my day!” and wonder who is paying for all this then look no further than youself. I will explain the details on Wednesday when I return, but basically, if you pay tax in the UK, or any other EU member state for thet matter than I thank you. You have just funded 30 students to go on a booze cruise in Brussels. Did you sanction this action? no. Were you consulted on it? no. But, then this is the European Parliament we are talking about. The finest example of a model democracy ever known to man.
If you’re interested in scandalous expenses claims then look no further than the EU. Westminster is a mere acidental ink blot on the graph paper compared to that which is going on in Brussels.
Anyway, for up to the minute updates from the trip, check out my twitter feed here. I’ll also be posting regular updates on the blog, so long as the old ‘roaming interweb’ all works.
You comment on the gravy train that is Brussels, and the fact that 30 “students” went on an all expenses paid trip there courtesy of the taxpayer. Firstly CFS is supposed to be the wing of the party for under 30s and yet virtually nobody who was not a student was asked if they would like to attend – no competitive ballots, nothing. But then this is the problem with CFS, and has been for years – a huge swathe of potentially helpful people are systematically excluded from participation.
Secondly it strikes me as utterly hypocritical that you were perfectly happy to take taxpayers’ money in attending a trip and yet you scorn at it. If you had been so concerned perhaps you might have stood up for your principles and not gone. Why take the money and “booze cruise” if you did not agree with the waste of taxpayers’ money?
Firstly, I had nothing personally to do with allocating places on the trip so if you want to complain about how it was done then you should get in touch with the chairman.
Secondly, This money has to be spent on 120 places for each MEP every year. If we don’t take it up, people from other countries will. If this is a way of ‘using’ (for want of a better word) our money that we have been coerced into giving the EU then surely it’s better we get it spent on ourselves rather than someone from say Romania who has nothing to do with the UK.
Don’t get me wrong, if I had the power to stop this funding I would, in fact I would just shut the whole retched thing down, but that’s another story for another day.