In or Out of the EU

[darmstadt]

To elect some faceless individual who is part of a self serving regime with powers to only approve/veto legislation.

[SunnyInHades]

Mama, mia, look at the angle of growth since 2012 for EUers into the UK - extrapolating, unchecked, by 2018 it'll be about the population size of Liverpool !

[MicrosoftBob]

Mama, mia, look at the angle of growth since 2012 for EUers into the UK - extrapolating, unchecked, by 2018 it'll be about the population size of Liverpool !

To be fair if they all moved to Liverpool it wouldn't be such a loss

[expat]

I am definitely IN. By which I mean that I want to keep my EU citizenship, even if I have to give up my British citizenship to do so.

[DodgyAgent]

Someone please remind me of the democratic link to the position this woman holds

[darmstadt]

Someone please remind me of the democratic link to the position this woman holds

Ashton was approved by the Parliament on 22 October 2008 by 538 to 40 votes and as we all know the parliament is elected by the population of Europe. A bit like a senior civil servant being appointed by the government really. Now how about this one:



Or this one:

[DodgyAgent]

How do you solve a problem like Baroness Ashton? - Spectator Blogs

Ordinarily if a politician says or does something you do not like we, the electorate, are at some point given the opportunity to vote them out. There used to be considerable pride in this
arrangement. But Catherine Ashton is part of a new class of people who pretend to be politicians while never having to face the electorate on whose behalf they claim to speak. Though Ashton is the
European Union’s High Representative on Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (EU Foreign Minister) she has herself never been elected to this — or any — role. She was appointed to
it in a closed room in Brussels by a group of people who are also, like her, not accountable to any electorate. Just as we did not vote her in, so we cannot vote her out. If anybody can explain why
this is a good arrangement I honestly would like to hear it.

[expat]

How do you solve a problem like Baroness Ashton? - Spectator Blogs

Ordinarily if a politician says or does something you do not like we, the electorate, are at some point given the opportunity to vote them out. There used to be considerable pride in this
arrangement. But Catherine Ashton is part of a new class of people who pretend to be politicians while never having to face the electorate on whose behalf they claim to speak. Though Ashton is the
European Union’s High Representative on Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (EU Foreign Minister) she has herself never been elected to this — or any — role. She was appointed to
it in a closed room in Brussels by a group of people who are also, like her, not accountable to any electorate. Just as we did not vote her in, so we cannot vote her out. If anybody can explain why
this is a good arrangement I honestly would like to hear it.

Well at least it stops rabid kippers from poking their clumsy fingers in and getting in the way of running Europe.

[VectraMan]

She was appointed to it in a closed room in Brussels by a group of people who are also, like her, not accountable to any electorate.

This is part of the problem with the EU: most of us don't really know (or really care) how it all works and therefore people can get away with telling complete porkies.

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The High Representative is appointed by the European Council acting by qualified majority. However to take up their role in the Commission, in particular as a vice-president, the High Representative has to appear before Parliament for questioning and then be subject to Parliament's vote of approval on the proposed Commission.

European Council - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

the Institution of the European Union (EU) that comprises the heads of state or government of the member states, along with the council's own president and the president of the Commission.

So appointed by the democratically elected leaders of all states, and approved by democratically elected MEPs. Who are the unelected people in a Brussels back room exactly?

[vetran]

So appointed by the democratically elected leaders of all states, and approved by democratically elected MEPs. Who are the unelected people in a Brussels back room exactly?

so its a bit like the house of lords then? that works well stuffed with political cronies.