A Simple view of the EU?

I was asked in the local pub, just why I was against the EU. What was it about the EU that I found so unpalatable and as we were in it anyway, wouldn't it be better to try and reform it from within.

The Idea of a Common Market, as first sold to the UK population in the 70's, does have an appeal, it is a good idea. The idea of opening barriers between European countries was a worthwhile aim. Unfortunately as so many good ideals, it was hijacked and changed beyond all recognition.

To put this as simply as I can, "power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely!"

Whilst the UK was ruled by the Parliament in Westminster, we have safeguards to stop some of the corruption. Our MP's are paid handsomely for their very meagre efforts to represent us, they have plenty of perks and privileges, that were never even considered by the earliest of our representatives. What with massive expenses claims, which can include mortgage payments, first class travel, taxi's here there and everywhere, Gold plated pensions which are index linked and untouchable. MP's have a rather good thing going on! This was a price we as a public, whilst not exactly overjoyed at paying, we permitted as it allowed us to tell our MP's in no uncertain terms, we gave it to you and we can take it away. You cock up and you will not be re-elected, your snout will be cast out from the trough! So remember be a good little porker or else its the bacon factory for you.

Originally our MP's were taken from the landed gentry, who had made their fortune, and through a sense of civic pride decided to put something back. There was also no doubt that self interest was also a part of their being willing to stand. But on the whole they were men who had made their fortunes, who had run businesses and organisations, men who had proved they had what it took to survive in the competitive world of trade. They had experience and knowledge of how things worked, of how to run things and get the best out of them. They were not professional politicians, they might belong to a party be it the Tories or Liberals and even labour, but they were their own men, they fought for their constituents, not the party machine.

The problem is that they seem in these more modern times to forget that they are supposed to be there in Parliament to protect us, to manage the State. Hence the term Statesman. We delegate to them some of our responsibilities, and for this as we have ready ascertained they are paid very handsomely! Yet we as constituents are merely seen as a means to an ends, con the public, get elected then toe the party line. They are all professional politicians, very very few of them have held down proper jobs, well jobs that the majority of their constituents would recognise as worthwhile jobs anyway. They go to University, then become researchers for a party, and gradually move up through the party ranks to become candidates, and they hope MP's.

But this Party system cheapens and changes the position of MP, it gives us lesser men, men like Ted Heath, who for whatever reason took us into the fledgling EEC. As well as men like Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, one raped and pillaged our pensions and the other took this once great country into an illegal war! Tony has presided on the biggest theft from the British people, that of our civil liberties! Liberties that have been fought for with the blood of past generations.

Just what has this to do with the EU I hear you cry, well its just that as bad as it all gets, as corrupt as NuLabour are or have become, we can at the next elections get rid, we can sack them, we can give another politician a chance to make things right, a chance for him or her to do it differently and to do it right! We have a chance at the local elections to send warning shots across the bows of the NuLabour machine, telling them change or your out!

This I cannot do with the EU, the Commission is totally unelected, chosen in secret, hidden behind closed doors. I never voted or had the opportunity to vote for Mr Barroso, nor any of his commissioners. Even the EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandleson, was not elected. He was sacked twice from Blairs Cabinet, once over a £373,000 loan which he didn't declare and lied about, and then he lied to parliament about a passport application, which kind of tells the electorate that he cannot be trusted. Yet he is given the job of Trade Commissioner by Tony Blair! He didn't have to fight for election, he was and still is a discredited ex MP, who was caught telling lies, great fucking big ones! Yet he is on the unelected commission and it really does beggar belief. If you actually research the EU, you will find that some of the present commissioners have had fraud allegations made against them! Not exactly a ringing endorsement for honesty or integrity is it!

We have a Parliament that is supposed to make all of our laws, yet due to our rights being given away to the EU, which I have had no say nor any input, 80% of our laws come from the EU Commission! If we are forced any further into the EU, we lose our ability to get out, seriously until we are fully integrated we can get out. Just by repealing the 1972 European Communities Act, we are out, its that simple. However should we integrate further, the EU can stop us leaving, or permit us to leave as long as we pay massive massive fines for doing so! Now which ever way you look at it, our forefathers sure as hell didn't fight so that we could be ruled by Europe!!

Coming from a strong working class background, I along with a majority of my class, have a distrust of the Europeans, we have long memories, the working classes fought the wars. We outnumbered the Upper and middle classes on any front line you care to mention, and basically we don't fucking trust any politicians and we trust European Politicians even less! I am not alone in my feelings regards the EU, and the simple fact that it is trying to shaft us for the wars we won! I can accept that this might be seen as null or mute point, with all the other euro bloggers out there, but I feel it is a valid point nonetheless. After years of being shafted by the great and supposed good, we need to get out of the EU, leave it to stew. After all in reality they need our money, much more than they care to admit!

Nurses asked to take a Pay Cut!!

This is a subject I feel I can for want of a better word, pontificate upon, there see Friday and hasn't my eloquence surprised you, aren't you glad you logged in.

I try as much as I can not to dwell on the past, as I believe that as long as you feel you have learned lessons, taken those lessons on board then it is OK to move on.

My ex wife, is an Auxiliary Nurse, what you would call an ass wiper, or that is what they used to do, now they do much more.

For the past few years the Auxiliary Nurses duties have widened, they have taken on a more nursing role. Taking blood pressure, taking bloods, changing dressings and handing out medications etc, and yes all with training. The reason for them doing more nursing work, is because the actual nurses are tied to the ward desks, doing/completing paperwork, so that the trust can fulfill its obligations to the number crunchers and meet government targets, to ensure that the hospital gets it funding. The salary for these posts is around £12,000 per year, as against a qualified nurse, who's starting salary is usually around £16,- 18000.

Now the rights and wrongs of what Auxiliaries do or Nurses don't are neither here nor there, the point I wish to get over is that they provide a front line service, for not a lot in regards pay!

I am not surprised that the chancellor (robbing bastard) gordon brown has stated that Nurses pay should be kept to below inflation rates, what does surprise me is his total stupidity in expecting people to swallow this line. Every time it comes to people that do real jobs, that the country really needs, they want to cut salaries, pay less than inflation rises. Yet they have the audacity to ask that they themselves receive a whopping 66% pay rise, now if that is not hypocrisy then I don't know what is. He (Gordo) has asked the Nurses to accept a 2% pay rise, 1.5% in April and 1% in November, giving a total of 1.9%. Notwithstanding that the staggered payment mean the government saves about 200 million pounds.

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said "she appreciated nurses would be "disappointed" by the staggered increases but said their rise would amount to 4.4% once annual progression increases were included." But its still way fucking short of the 66% they want for themselves!!Now let me explain a bit about these progression increases.

You start a job on the lowest point on a scale, for arguments sake 10,000, then over a period usually 5 years, you reach the top of the scale, 12,000, this is to recognise the increase in knowledge and experience that you have gained. It works the same in the silly service, as you gain more experience you move up an increment annually. This is a proven method and believe it or not it actually works, most Government and local government/councils/colleges etc use the concept.

Now Pat Hewitt is saying that the Increments are now apart of your rise, (this argument was last used by employers who told staff that as they were on 5.00 per hour, and the minimum wage was now 5.35 per hour, that was their annual cost of living increase.) What Pat Hewitt fails to realise is, that once you are on the top of your scale, you get no further increase/increment, so for those staff, who with all the job losses etc, are more likely to be at the top of scale, are actually getting a pay cut. As over inflation rate rises of Utility bills, council tax and cost of food etc have all increased by 4.4%.

I believe that if the Politicians are entitled to a 66% pay rise, then so should everybody! If a 2% pay rise is acceptable to Nursing staff then it is also acceptable for the Politicians! Plus don't forget only as a Politician do you get your salary plus £131,000 for expenses!!!