The Politics Thread

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

How can she deny all charges when she admitted paying public officials? Is it UK law (help Crayons) that it is legal to bribe (i.e. purchase confidential information from) public officials if the editor decides it is in the public interest? I can understand the public interest may be a defence against libel, but surely bribery would be illegal.

I have no idea. But yes - it appears that her defence team think there is a public interest defence that applies to the payer, at any rate.

[Relentless09]

Anyone been following the issue of 'On the runs' from Northern Ireland ? Labour and the current Conservative Government have a lot of explaining to do over this.

[Bijou Bob]

As expected, the Mail have a memo from Hewitt recommending a lowering of the age of consent. This going to run with more to come yet.

[Hoboh]

Cecilia Malmstrom, the EU home affairs commissioner, played up the lack of support across Europe for radical changes to rules allowing free movement of EU citizens.
The overwhelming majority of member states say ‘do not touch’ them, she said.
Her comments, in a speech to the Chatham House think tank, are further evidence of the difficulties Mr Cameron faces in trying to secure fundamental reform.
Asked if the EU should listen to the public, she said it would be wrong to act because of the growth of ‘racist parties’.

There you go, AGAIN! If you don't like the EU your now racist.
When will someone tell these little jumped up, come from nowhere, never heard of, shits to stop wasting money and just do one!!!

Only fair to point out for those like me that had never heard of the bitch what a stunning life cv she has.

I live in Brussels with my husband and our twins. Since February 2010, I have been the European Commissioner responsible for Home Affairs including EU work on police cooperation, border control, asylum and migration. This means that I am in charge of the EU's fight against serious international crime and human trafficking. I am also working to establish a common European asylum and migration policy.
I was born in 1968. I spent some of my youth growing up in France and have lived and worked in Germany and Spain.
I can trace my interest in European politics to a couple of key moments. The first was being taken by my parents to Normandy to see the vast cemeteries where soldiers who fought in World War II were buried, including some of my classmates' family members.
Another moment was when I lived in Barcelona, when my friend Blanca told me how her grandmother took her down to the cellar to sing Catalan children's songs, which was not allowed under Franco's fascist dictatorship.
These experiences awakened my interest and in European politics. I later completed a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Gothenburg, where I worked for a number of years as a researcher and taught European politics. I was a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2006, working mainly on foreign affairs, human rights, EU enlargement and constitutional issues. After the Swedish national elections of 2006, I was appointed EU minister where I was responsible for issues such as the Lisbon Treaty, the EU strategy for growth and employment and the review of the EU budget. It was also my job to build support for the EU among Swedish citizens. In 2009, I coordinated the preparatory work and the implementation of the Swedish Presidency of the EU.

Not a bad little number being an EU commisioner is it?

Salary
• The basic salary of a member of the Commission is currently (since 1 July
2010) € 20.667,20 per month (the Vice-Presidents earn € 22.963,55, the High Representative earns €
23.882,09 and the President earns € 25.351,76). The salary is subject to European Union tax (there
are 14 marginal tax rates, ranging from 8% to 45%) and to a solidarity levy (7% of the basic
salary1)..
Allowances
• Commissioners are entitled to a residence allowance of 15% of the basic salary.
• Commissioners are entitled to a monthly allowance for representation expenses of € 607,71
(Vice-Presidents and the High Representative receive € 911.38, the President receives €
1418.07).
3. On leaving office:
• Upon leaving office, Commissioners are entitled to a resettlement allowance of one month's
basic salary.
• Travel expenses and moving costs are reimbursed.
• A transitional allowance is paid for three years, beginning on the day after leaving office.
This allowance is between 40% and 65% of the final basic salary, depending on the length of
service. This allowance is subject to European Union tax.
• The transitional allowance is capped. If the former Commissioner takes up any new gainful
activity, the amount of the new job's salary, added together with the allowance, cannot exceed
the remuneration as a member of the Commission.
Retirement pension
• Former Commissioners are entitled to a life pension, payable from the age of 65. The pension
is subject to European Union tax.
• Pension rights depend on the length of a Commissioner's term in office. The amount of the
pension is calculated as 4.275 % of the basic salary for every full year in office. The pension
may not exceed 70% of the final basic salary.

[boltonboris]

That's fecking disgraceful. Well Educated, professional decision makers are earning good money? The fvckin cheek of it!!!!!

[Hoboh]

That's fecking disgraceful. Well Educated, professional decision makers are earning good money? The fvckin cheek of it!!!!!

Feck off!

There's numb nuts on here with degrees that couldn't tie their own feckin laces, never mind make decisions about things they don't understand.

Oh and please point out what exactly in that cv makes her suitable for the role she is in?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

• The basic salary of a member of the Commission is currently (since 1 July
2010) € 20.667,20 per month (the Vice-Presidents earn € 22.963,55, the High Representative earns €
23.882,09 and the President earns € 25.351,76). The salary is subject to European Union tax (there
are 14 marginal tax rates, ranging from 8% to 45%) and to a solidarity levy (7% of the basic
salary1)..
Allowances
• Commissioners are entitled to a residence allowance of 15% of the basic salary.
• Commissioners are entitled to a monthly allowance for representation expenses of € 607,71
(Vice-Presidents and the High Representative receive € 911.38, the President receives €
1418.07).

You'll have to explain to me why you think, for example, that 911 Euros is a lot?
and that's before we even start in on explaining what the feck € 22.963,55, means??? is that 22 Euros or Twenty Two thousand nine hundred and sixty three Euros and fifty five cents, or what ???????????????
I think maybe you need to stick with pounds sterling, this European money is obviously confusing you.

[Hoboh]

• The basic salary of a member of the Commission is currently (since 1 July
2010) € 20.667,20 per month (the Vice-Presidents earn € 22.963,55, the High Representative earns €
23.882,09 and the President earns € 25.351,76). The salary is subject to European Union tax (there
are 14 marginal tax rates, ranging from 8% to 45%) and to a solidarity levy (7% of the basic
salary1)..
Allowances
• Commissioners are entitled to a residence allowance of 15% of the basic salary.
• Commissioners are entitled to a monthly allowance for representation expenses of € 607,71
(Vice-Presidents and the High Representative receive € 911.38, the President receives €
1418.07).

You'll have to explain to me why you think, for example, that 911 Euros is a lot?
and that's before we even start in on explaining what the feck € 22.963,55, means??? is that 22 Euros or Twenty Two thousand nine hundred and sixty three Euros and fifty five cents, or what ???????????????

Well if you can explain what is

"a monthly allowance for representation expenses"

Then I'll try

BTW that lot was taken from an official EU document

[Prufrock]

It's 22 grand. Frenchies (and maybe other Euro-weirdos) use commas and decimal points all backwards.

Does seem a lot tbf.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

You're missing some key info there Hobo. Does it not support your argument to mention that they pay towards their pension and only draw a proportion based on Years in. They pay towards medical and unemployment by way of percentage of salary.

In general the EU pays well at the more senior grades, but certainly no more than in the private sector for similar responsibility. Overall the administration costs of the commission is lower than most private business. Try getting some balanced info rather than going off half cocked as usual.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

It's 22 grand. Frenchies (and maybe other Euro-weirdos) use commas and decimal points all backwards.

Does seem a lot tbf.

I had no idea Frenchies used commas for dots and dots for commas. I bet they did it on purpose the contrary buggers.

But you are being sarcastic when you say the basic salary of a commissioner is a lot at 22 grand? You are, aren't you

[Beefheart]

It's 22 grand. Frenchies (and maybe other Euro-weirdos) use commas and decimal points all backwards.

Does seem a lot tbf.

I had no idea Frenchies used commas for dots and dots for commas. I bet they did it on purpose the contrary buggers.

But you are being sarcastic when you say the basic salary of a commissioner is a lot at 22 grand? You are, aren't you

That's monthly though. 22 x 12 = 264.

[Prufrock]

It's 22 grand. Frenchies (and maybe other Euro-weirdos) use commas and decimal points all backwards.

Does seem a lot tbf.

I had no idea Frenchies used commas for dots and dots for commas. I bet they did it on purpose the contrary buggers.

But you are being sarcastic when you say the basic salary of a commissioner is a lot at 22 grand? You are, aren't you

That's a month Spots! I did say *seems* a lot. Not that I in any way doubt Hobohs ability to be rational and balanced about this sort of thing and not leave out stuff that works massively against his already determined conclusion.

[bobo the clown]

It's 22 grand. Frenchies (and maybe other Euro-weirdos) use commas and decimal points all backwards.

Does seem a lot tbf.

I had no idea Frenchies used commas for dots and dots for commas. I bet they did it on purpose the contrary buggers.

But you are being sarcastic when you say the basic salary of a commissioner is a lot at 22 grand? You are, aren't you

That's monthly though. 22 x 12 = 264.

I think you'll find that x13. They, as a lot of Continentals do, use a 13th month. I mean, you can't be expected to make 12 months pay last, like, y'know, 12 months.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Ahhhh. I'd missed the monthly bit. That is a lot, then. The feckers. Down with the EU and their Froggy back-to-front commas and dots!

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I'm pretty damned sure that I remember my careers advisor at school mentioning the army, teaching, lab technician, fire brigade, that sort of thing. None of them ever said "Try being a footballer or an EU commissioner". Can I sue?

[Beefheart]

It's 22 grand. Frenchies (and maybe other Euro-weirdos) use commas and decimal points all backwards.

Does seem a lot tbf.

I had no idea Frenchies used commas for dots and dots for commas. I bet they did it on purpose the contrary buggers.

But you are being sarcastic when you say the basic salary of a commissioner is a lot at 22 grand? You are, aren't you

That's monthly though. 22 x 12 = 264.

I think you'll find that x13. They, as a lot of Continentals do, use a 13th month. I mean, you can't be expected to make 12 months pay last, like, y'know, 12 months.

I take it they are just paid every 4 weeks rather than on a calender month basis? That would be 13 payments over 12 months I guess.

[bobo the clown]

It's 22 grand. Frenchies (and maybe other Euro-weirdos) use commas and decimal points all backwards.

Does seem a lot tbf.

I had no idea Frenchies used commas for dots and dots for commas. I bet they did it on purpose the contrary buggers.

But you are being sarcastic when you say the basic salary of a commissioner is a lot at 22 grand? You are, aren't you

That's monthly though. 22 x 12 = 264.

I think you'll find that x13. They, as a lot of Continentals do, use a 13th month. I mean, you can't be expected to make 12 months pay last, like, y'know, 12 months.

I take it they are just paid every 4 weeks rather than on a calender month basis? That would be 13 payments over 12 months I guess.

Sometimes ... but more often a double payment in December.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Nope. Paid on the 15th of each month. No 13th month salaryI.

[Hoboh]

You're missing some key info there Hobo. Does it not support your argument to mention that they pay towards their pension and only draw a proportion based on Years in. They pay towards medical and unemployment by way of percentage of salary.

In general the EU pays well at the more senior grades, but certainly no more than in the private sector for similar responsibility. Overall the administration costs of the commission is lower than most private business. Try getting some balanced info rather than going off half cocked as usual.

Errr I think if you read my original quote you will find the severence package and pension.