Monday 28 March 2016

When will the BBC insist on the Kinnocks and Patten declaring they are paid by the EU

They are called UK Lords and make UK laws yet they are all paid large index linked EU pensions which can be withrdrawn if they publically criticise the EU. They are paid EU place persons and that should be made clear every time they appear on the Brussels Broadcasting Corporation. Faiilure to do so breaches the BBC requirement for balance in current affairs.

6 comments:

Henry IX said...

Hey, STOP THIEF!!! You've just nicked this from Pierce in The Mail - think for yourself for once!!

Eric Edmond said...

No, I wrote about this some time ago butI am glad Pierce picked it up. It is important the EU pension link is exposed.

Edward Spalton said...

Some years ago the small,Eurosceptic group in the Lords approached the Members' Interests Committee on this matter. The committee, which included a former Lord Chief Judtice, agreed that such pensions, conditional on "good behaviour " ( as defined by the EU) ought to be a declarable interest when speaking on EU-related topics.

The euro-peers ( for want of a better name) then took the case to the Privileges Committee which overturned the ruling. I am not sure of their
grounds for this decision, as the noble Lord who told me was so incandescently angry that I did not wish to upset him further.

I will try to find out.

But it is odd that an interest of a sort, which would disbar a local Councillor from speaking or voting on a connected matter, is no hindrance to promoting that interest in the Mother of Parliaments. Of course, the same sort of pension rights were enjoyed by Mr Clegg, as a firmer EU civil servant.

Eric Edmond said...

You are quite right Mr S on Cleggy. Have you considered BoJo's Daddy, Stanley who was an EU civil servant so gets an EU pension under the same conditions as Kinnock etc. BoJo does not have an EU pension and wants out. Stanley with his EU pension to safeguard wants to Remain. Self interest vincit omnia as BoJo the Latin scholar might put it.

Edward Spalton said...

That redoubtable champion of independence from the EU, Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour) informs me as follows.

"This issue has never gone away. It was first raised by Lord Pearson of Rannoch quite a long time ago and he has pursued the matter doggedly, in the face of hostility from those ex European Commissioners, employees and MEPs. The issue has now been taken over by Lord Fairfax of Cameron (ennobled 2015) who has sent a letter signed by a number of lords, including Lord Pearson and myself, to the Registrar of Lords' Interests. He, in turn, has sent it to Lord Laming, the Chairman of Committees, who will undoubtedly raise the matter with the appropriate select committee of the House. So the issue has never gone away and remains extant. The Daily Mail has recently referred to the issue".

Eric Edmond said...

ES, let us do what we can to keep up the pressure. EE