Scottish Tories "for nothing if you don't have freedom"*

What now for the Scottish Tories?

Yesterday they David McLetchie took a stance which flew in the face of common sense or fairness, when they opposed the right for a suspect to have a lawyer present for the first six hours while the police were able to question. The Tories are probably opposing the ruling solely on the grounds that it comes from a decision taken in the European Court for Human Rights in 2008. The fact that there are some sensible decisions taken in Europe seems to be a point that deludes them. Hopefully the Scottish people will remember how inhuman the Scottish Tories are on the subjects of rights for the citizens next May.

The preamble to the Liberal Democrats constitution says that "no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity" and the presence of the six hour rule could well have let to some innocents being imprisoned due to these. So I suspect that this ruling may cause ructions in Westminster with the Tories trying to limit or remove the European Convention on Human Rights from UK law and the rulings of the European Court, even where they are beneficial, being countermanded. Also unlike the Tories the Liberal Democrats believe "our responsibility for justice and liberty cannot be confined by national boundaries"[from the preamble]

I trust that the Lib Dems in Westminster, having secured our Freedom Bill in the coalition agreement will remember that the party exists "to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community"[from the preamble].

The Scottish Tories may moan "but they'll never take OUR FREEDOM"**.

Or else we'll set the Comptroller of HM Household (pictured) on them.

* Yeah a little bit of Braveheart in the title.
** And a little bit more Braveheart at the end.

Tories Attacking on Their Own Weaknesses

Oh dear, oh dear. I see the Tories are running scared and trying to attack what they feel are weak points of Lib Dem policy. Let me look at just three of them.

Trident. The best defence of our policy not to replace trident was given by Nick Clegg in the leaders debate. It is a cold war solution to a cold war situation which we do not currently find ourselves in. Want to look at the practicalities we are worried about Iran and North Korea gaining a nuclear capability. How about this as a novel way for them not to pursue that goal, lets not threaten them with a nuclear capability that could blow them up many times over. Plus it frees up £100bn pounds that could be used on other things.

Short Prison Sentences Scrapped. The Tories are attacking something that the mastermind of their marriage tax breaks actually proposed as well. He did say never underestimate the determination of a quiet man, I think the Tories are also underestimating the sense spoken from their quiet man. It costs to detain people in prison, like Iain Duncan Smith suggests we can toughen up community service orders to make the alternative to jail less appealing as well. People will still do a crime and serve the time, its just a matter of what form that service takes.

While on crime let us not forget another attack that the Tories are throwing at us Europe. Out of their anti-Europe stance their MEPs have voted against European arrest warrants and cross borders powers. It means that they would be happy to allow criminals with crimes overseas to escape to the UK or for crimes that are carried out in the UK not to be able to be brought to trial. They have opposed means to enable police powers to act across boundaries. How is that being tough on crime?

Just with crime there are other things we need co-operation across borders about immigration, climate change, the banks (especially as some UK names are owned elsewhere in Europe), energy, these things already exist across Europe. We need to be in it to have a say over it. Yes there are things in Europe that need reform, but the Lib Dems have said that just like we have been saying about things here in the UK.

Milligan-Scottt Withdrawal Letter Further Condemnation

Edward McMillan-Scott's letter informing David Cameron why he is no longer pursuing he appeal against expulsion from the Conservative party contains three reasons which really condemn.

Here it is in full.

12 March 2010

Dear David,

I am resigning today from my appeal against expulsion from the Conservative party and from the party itself to join the Liberal Democrats for three reasons:

1. I have been around the higher circles of the party long enough, most recently serving on both the Euro-election and general election strategy committees at CCHQ, to know that Euroscepticism is in the hearts of most Conservatives. Your decision to split from the mainstream EPP and create the new ECR group has been universally condemned, even by rightwing commentators such as the Economist as a "shoddy, shaming alliance". You say you will not "bang on about Europe" and your spokesman make warm noises. But I fear that on Europe you say one thing in opposition and will do another in government.

2. You continue to refuse to accept that Michał Kamiński, who now leads the ECR and against whom I stood and won re-election as vice-president of the European parliament last July, has had "antisemitic, homophobic and racist links". You say that you are against extremism at home, yet you propitiate it abroad.

3. My family, friends and those who work with me will all confirm that I have sought in good faith an amicable resolution of my dispute at all levels in the party. I have written to you on several occasions without a reply and have pursued the appeal process to which you submitted me in the diminishing expectation of fairness. I have stated my case modestly in the media. Last weekend your lawyers made clear that the appeal would continue to be rigged by you, despite your public pretensions to decency and fairness. As my friend Henry Porter put it in the Observer, your response has been "thuggish and panicky". You say one thing in public and do another in private.

My reasons for joining the Liberal Democrats are that in Nick Clegg they have a leader whom I like, admire and respect. They are internationalists, not nationalists. They are committed to politics based [on] the values of fairness and change, but you are committed to power for its own sake.

Yours sincerely,

Edward McMillan-Scott MEP

Vice-president of the European parliament, responsible for democracy and human rights

See also George Lyon's guest post from last night.

***Breaking*** Former Tory MEP Defects to Lib Dems

It certainly is a year for change for Edward McMillan-Scott MEP.


For 25 years he was a Conservative MEP, but on the first day of business of the new parliament that all changed. His was the lone Conservative voice in Europe that was heard about David Cameron's European shift to the hard right leaving the European People's Party (EPP) to join the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR). Indeed he stood against Michal Kaminski for the position of group leader, he had previously held the the position in the Tories previous grouping.

At that time he said:

"Standing as an independent candidate, for the values of democracy and human rights which I have worked to promote worldwide, I have made a start.

"Rather than withdrawing the whip, David Cameron should be pleased that a Tory is still at the top in Europe."

Cameron wasn't impressed, first the whip was removed and then Mr McMillan-Scott was expelled.

Today McMillan-Scott has joined the Liberal Democrats saying:

"My reasons for joining the Liberal Democrats are that in Nick Clegg they have a leader whom I like, admire and respect. They are internationalists, not nationalists. They are committed to politics based the values of fairness and change.

"From being a liberal Conservative I become a conservative liberal. Most of my family are liberals. I am pleased to join the liberal family."

So a Tory MEP defecting from the party over their stance on Europe strange case of deja vu, for the Euroscpetics that is same again.

UPDATE His new Scottish colleague George Lyon MEP said:

"This defection is a coup for Nick Clegg and a calamity for David Cameron.

"Someone who can't lead a united party in Europe is certainly not fit to lead Britain in the EU.

"Like any group that keeps questionable company, the Conservatives will find sensible voices in their party moving away from the lunatic fringe where Cameron has exiled them.

"I welcome Mr McMillan-Scott to the Liberal Democrats a look forward to working with him in the European Parliament."

The Real Test for Euro Membership

When I was a student we still only had the exchange rate mechanism of the European Monetary System. But being the great fan of Sci-fi that I was my dissertation looked to the future and a European currency, I pointed out that the real test for such unity wouldn't come in the good times but would come in the bad, then I said it would depend how Germany, France, Italy and the UK (yeah I was an optimist) reacted when times were tough and part of the zone needed help.

Well it may be almost twenty years later but such a crossroads has been arrived at. Or to be precise we've been standing at that crossroads for sometime waiting to stride off confidently but now we're about ready to head off, we're not sure what to do.

The issue of course is Greece.

The EU leaders have said they are prepared to deliver a rescue package for the Greek economy and to shore up the integrity of the Eurozone, they just haven't announced the details yet. But at the end of over a year of such support for other EU economies some nations are not happy. This morning on the news I heard mention of some in Germany being up in arms and saying enough is enough and saying they would be better returning to the Deutchsemark.

Of course there are criteria for entering the Eurozone these have to be met before admission is allowed. These are clearly laid out to EU member states that wish to enter. The issue of expulsion isn't so clear, but there is talk that some wish to remove Greece. Indeed Phoebus Athanassiou writes in a European Central Bank working paper that such a move in almost certainly illegal, there is no exit criteria only for entry.

Of course the reason for setting up the Euro was to allow competitive advantage, economic stability and smooth out the dips that any one Euro member would have against the world economy. The larger nations would benefit from the security if their prices across the zone and the ability to plan within the world. The smaller nations would have the security blanket of the more established nations, benefiting from the economy of scale to help them develop. That is all well and good when times are good, even when they are stagnated, but not when they are dipping sharply.

There is the option of voluntary withdrawal a country then could in theory devalue its currency to improve competitiveness and to set its own interest rates.But either expulsion or withdrawal would not be an easy option. Don't forget as well as Greece, Ireland, Spain and Portugal are also finding it tough just now.

The Options

• Expulsion - verges on illegality, plus needs to create a new European Community minus the expelled member.
• Voluntary withdrawal - at this stage almost impossible to withdraw from all the institutions needed to be in Eurozone without withdrawing from EU itself.
• Withdrawal keeping Euro - Some states outside the EU currently operate the Euro so would be possible to withdraw, revalue and keep Euro at new rate.

However, as I said above the smaller nations saw the Euro as a security blanket. Any move to expel would lead to insecurity of the remainder, it could see the unravelling of the EU.

The thing is that the Eurozone countries have to be in this together, that was the agreement, that was the commitment that was made. Like a marriage it is for sickness or in health and divorce is a whole lot messier with so much involved.

Watch Out for the Family Jewels

Whenever you see a person in a blue rosette approaching British gents carefully guard your family jewels. The French Europe Minister has said that the Tories plan for Europe is 'autistic' and 'castrating' Britain.

Yes it is true that the party that signed up to the Treaty of Maastricht and did most of the preparatory work on the Treaty of Amsterdam is now calling to undo parts of both, but call a referendum on any future Treaty. Considering how the Masstricht treaty was treated in the commons to get passed, as a vote of confidence, in all bar name, in John Major this seems like a ludicrous about turn for the Tories who have already been playing so wide on the wing to almost be as well as take a seat in the stands after joining their group of extremist Eurosceptics.

Pierre Lellouche, France's Europe Minister threw aside any diplomatic niceties when he said what he thought of David Cameron's approach:

"It's pathetic. It's just very sad to see Britain, so important in Europe, just cutting itself out from the rest and disappearing from the radar map …. This is a culture of opposition … It is the result of a long period of opposition. I know they will come back, but I hope the trip will be short.

"They are doing what they have done in the European parliament. They have essentially castrated your UK influence in the European parliament."

And want did he think of Cameron trying to rewrite the Treaties some of them crafted by his party predecessors:

"It's not going to happen for a minute. Nobody is going to indulge in rewriting [treaties for] many, many years. Nobody is going to play with the institutions again. It's going to be take it or leave it and they should be honest and say that. It is a time of tumultuous waters all around us. Wars, terrorism, proliferation, Afghanistan, energy with Russia, massive immigration, economic crisis. It is time when the destiny of Europe is being defined – whether or not we will exist as a third of the world's GDP capable of fighting it out on climate, on trade, on every … issue on the surface of the Earth.

"We need to be united, otherwise we will be wiped out and marginalised. None of us can do it alone. Whether you're big or small, the lesson is the same. And [Britain's] risk is one of marginalisation. Irrelevance. Finally we have institutional package, but it took 15 years of looking at our navel and getting everybody bored to death with sterile debate."

So what did Cameron promise when abandoning his 'cast-iron' guarantee on a referendum yesterday.

• For starters he is going to amend the 1972 (Heath Parliament) European Communities Act to not allow transfer of powers without referendums.
• Revisit some of the EU employment law set up under Maastricht 1992 under Major.
• Also looking at releasing some of the cross border powers of European security that was set up under Amsterdam just after the Blair Parliament came into being but largely negotiated under Major.

Ed Davey the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman called the hotch potch of ideas of how to claw back thing a 'confused middle road' saying:

"Cameron has already done enough to alienate Britain's allies across Europe by leading his party into the lunatic wilderness - now he wants to take Britain there too."

Working as I do in trans-European work environment like I do in a call centre that caters for many parts of the EU, with sites in two other European countries, I see practical implications of what he is trying to do. Removing fundamental rights from many of my co-workers could well lead to less 0f them being likely to want to take up work here, leading to issues for the rest of us if clients are unable to fill desired language sets here in Edinburgh. We have managed to weather the economic storm to some degree but whether on the back of that we can weather a Eurosceptic one as well is something that I don't want to have to find out.

Jewish Letter to Cameron

Yesterday I covered the anti-homophobes letter from amongst others Stephen Fry, Partick Stewart, Eddie Izzard and Jo Brand. Today there is news that the he president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Vivian Wineman, has also sent a letter to the Conservative leader over his alliance with far-right groups in Poland and Latvia.

There is rising concern about just what some of the Tories partners stand for. In the same way that under the gloss that Nick Griffen likes to put on the BNP there is a lot of concern about the core values of what he party actually stands for. We're well aware of the underlying message that the far right parties in our own country have, yet the so-called new social liberalism that the Conservatives want to portray turned their back on the central right parties in Europe and heading off to find more extreme colleagues to form a group.

This is the party that all the while is claiming to bring a new progressivism, but over at over at this conference is defending Poland and Latvia for being less progressive. Well there are some in those countries that are looking to be progressive but the Tories haven't aligned with them, they have gone with the far right wing. They have partnered up with those that have banned the right for Gay Pride marches to take place in Latvia, opposed gay rights from the EU convention of Human Rights to be ratified, that celebrate the Waffen-SS in annual parades.

It truly is a case of double speak and the Conservatives are trying to put the con into their answers by denying some of the stuff that these leaders are doing and are saying. Zile has tried to defend himself by saying it was back in WWII. Wrong! Look at the violence meted out on Government orders to a peaceful Gay Pride event but a few years ago. This is real, this is current and the Conservatives are being apologists for it, and then some, much as Chamberlain was for the Germans in the late 30s.

Homophobes and Anti-Semites Invited to Tory Conference

The Tories are holding their party conference in Manchester this year. LGBTory were even boasting about holding a Conference Pride event in the heart of the City's gay village, although there is a rival Tory Shame event being organised for the week in another venue.

But that is not the thrust of this blog post, no. Both Michal Kamiński of the Tories Polish Law and Justice Party EU allies and Roberts Zīle of the Latvian For Fatherland and Freedom Party will be attending a fringe event on the future of Europe.

One wonders what sort of future that will be. Kamiński, who actually leads the Conservatives EU grouping, comes from a party that have said that homosexuals should be isolated and not be allowed to teach. They also launched an investigation into 'all' gay groups for illegal financing, criminal connections, and pedophilia. The whole thrust was to brand all homosexuals paedophiles.

In Latvia Zīle's party backed the Christian Democratic Party's decision to drop discrimination at work on the grounds of sexuality, the only country in the EU with that omitted. Latvia have also been attacks on peaceful Gay Pride parade and have banned lesbian and gay demonstrations.

They will also spark issues with the Tory party's Jewish supporters, Zīle annually celebrates Hitler's Waffen-SS with a march past of SS veterans. Condemned by Mark Gardner from the Community Security Trust, which monitors violence against Jews, who said:

"Members of this party participate in Waffen-SS ceremonies and that must cause grave concern and pain to Jews and any anyone else who suffered at the hands of Nazism – even in the context of Latvia's very complex history."

So some very queer mixed messages are being sent from Dave's allegedly 'progressive' Conservatives this week. To not just tolerate these men and their believes but to have them addressing the future of Europe is a disgrace. It shows the Tories true colours so that even while the LGBTory group party the night away on Canal Street that these men will be addressing delegates as friends for a right-wing Europe.

Crossing the Lyon of Expectations

Yesterday Jeff drew our attention to a story in the Sunday Herald about Lib Dem MEP George Lyon employing his girlfriend in a £36,000 job in his new office. As I couldn't find the story on the online edition of the paper I wasn't able to make comment, but thought it strange (until Jeff pointed out otherwise) that the story from the print edition had not made the online copy.

Sadly the only other paper covering the story is that Red Top that all Red's fans have boycotted for 20 years. But from that I've cleaned the response through his spokesman from George insisting he did nothing wrong. The spokesman said:

"There is no official document saying George and Flora are non-married partners.

"He understood employing a close friend might be against the spirit of the rules.

"But there was an independent interview and the appointment was made on merit."

However, the new European Parliament rules do apparently apply to the banning of employment of spouses and "stable non-marital partners". No matter what the protestations of George about an independent interview in this era of politics of post MP expense this just isn't good enough especially as his official statement says that he acknowledges that it may be against the spirit of the rules. It would appear to be worse than that.

As Jeff rightly points out when Nick Clegg calls for 'politics free of corruption in which power is shifted to the people' on the same day George really needed to thought how those people would have perceived this before even contemplating spirits of laws or otherwise.

I hope that this matter is dealt with swiftly.

Euro Election Reflections 2

When George Lyon is formally declared as the eleventh Liberal Demorcat MEP later today he will actually be in a minority. He will be one of five male Lib Dem MEPs to the six women who will be representing us.

Last week on one of my colleagues blogs or Facebook, and just now I can't recall which, somebody complained that the Lib Dems by not using zipped lists and proportionality were not getting a balance of people. Well without doing so we have achieved sexual parity. Sarah Ludford in London, Fiona Hall in the North East, Liz Lynne in the North East, Diana Wallis in Yorkshire and Humber. Even in the one region we returned two MEPs, the South East, they are both women Sharon Bowles and Catherine Bearder.

It shows that women can indeed rise to the top and I know there is still work to be done to encourage more to the surface in key and winnable Westminster and Holyrood seats, but we are a party that recognises talent and that is something to be proud of.

Euro Election Reflections 1

I'm doing do some more in depth comment later. But for now here is one personal reflection on the count last night.

I was attending the Falkirk Count, good solid Labour territory you would think. However, there was only one Labour representative in the hall as the votes were being counted, Cathy Peattie the MSP for Falkirk East. Now as a Lib Dem in some of the darker parts of the central belt for two Euros in a row now I've been the only Lib Dem at my count (although Kevin McPhillips had company over at Livingston for West Lothian) but this is the first time I've ever seen a solitary Labour count agent.

I think that speaks volumes for the mire that Labour are finding themselves in if they cannot muster activists to even stand in the warmth of Grangemouth Sports Complex for a few hours.

I know there are exceptions like Kez and my own cousin down in Cumbria but from what I've witnessed Labour activists have been very thin on the ground. That is even in comparison with just 5 years ago and the last Euros.

Polls are now open

I expect to be busy all day. But I'm voting Lib Dem today because we're stronger together with Europe and weaker apart.


Labour’s arrogance has messed up Britain’s relationship with other European countries

The Conservatives and UKIP think that on its own Britain can face the economic storm, climate change, international crime, people-trafficking and terrorism

As for the SNP they think think that on its own Scotland can face the economic storm, climate change, international crime, people-trafficking and terrorism.

There's a Kind of Hush All Over the Poll Tonight

I'm writing this sitting on the bus having done a good cardio session delivered a few eve of poll bundles in the tenements facing the Meadows in Edinburgh. My allusion to Herman's Hermits in the title of this blog is that despite being a political anorak, despite having my nose to the ground I, like many others in the political world, am not entirely sure what the vote tomorrow holds for the count on Sunday.

Every political fibre in my body tells me that what I have been campaigning for and what the Lib Dems have stood for in these European Elections was good sound and would have turned peoples heads and votes. However, for the last four weeks, although it feels like four years, the Telegraph has hijacked the political narrative. Don't get me wrong a lot of what came out needed to come out, it is what the Lib Dems have said and voted for many times down the years, but it has blocked out all other messages.

Even on that Nick Clegg and the message we have put forward to make a change is a good one. It is just what Parliament needs and what the people want. Yet the recent polls show that the Telegraph have appeared to have done a job or tarring all parties with the same brush, nobody remembers their saints. Although thankfully the Scots are well aware of the needs for the MPs of Argyll & Bute and Orkney & Shetland. The Telegraph tried to show up when all they are really doing is serving all their constituents. Rather than being a stay away member as some would appear to be from other parties, with first homes here there and everywhere.

So what is going to happen in tomorrows vote, that all depends. Those who are upset may either stay away or vote for change. But if they vote for change simply for the sake of it without asking what that change will be is that really worth it? Could they end up with an MEP or MEP for the next 5 years they may regret. The way some of the people I've met have been talking they haven't weighed up all the things that some of the less established parties bring to the table. In most cases there is a reason that they are not well grounded and what they stand for well known. Either they don't want voters to see their true intent, or people have seen their true intent and decided not to vote for them.

Looking at the polls it is that have said they don't intend to vote that is worrying. Have they said that because they really aren't going to vote? And if they are is this being accurately reflecting the polling companies take on where those votes are lost? Or have they just said 'I'm not voting for any of them' meaning the Westminster parties but are weighing up options? If so do those options include the only party that has said what they intend to do, not merely that we will consult and await Kelly's report, that party being the Liberal Democrats.

At the start of this campaign I was really excited that my party was going to fight an election for Europe on the issues of Europe that affect everyone of us. I was glad that we were standing up for what Europe does well and campaigning to change what needs reform. I'm still glad that we are taking the same stance on Westminster.

However, I am sad that this election is not about what those who are represented are going to do, nor about what they are saying. This election in the minds of many is not even about Europe, something that the Tories and SNP are also talking up because they don't want people to look too closely at just what they are saying and doing about Europe.

I'll still be doing my bit tomorrow. Voting Lib Dem and encouraging others to do so as long as I can manage. But in all my 21 years of being old enough to vote this is the most disheartening campaign, at times in ways, I've been involved in.

Stronger Together Weaker Apart

Nick Clegg has this morning launched the Liberal Democrat manifesto for the European elections on June 4. The message is about Europe, how we are stronger together in a number of areas but the isolationism being preached by the Conservatives, SNP and UKIP in key areas of co-operation will weaken Britain in areas of justice, environment and financial integrity.

One of the lessons on recent times must surely be the interconnectiveness of all of us. This stretches beyond national boundaries the arbitrary lines in the sand drawn up and redrawn as the result of wars down the centuries. But The Tories and the SNP want to withdraw back behind these lines thinking they can do fight the economic storm, climate change, international crime, people-trafficking and terrorism from Westminster or Holyrood.

As for Labour their arrogance that they would do away with boom and bust, that they could lead the way to a brighter European future is breaking down the rapport with the rest of Europe. The message was follow us, and now that leads lemming like over the precipice.

The Liberal Democrats know effective cooperation creates prosperity – more than 3 million jobs in the UK depend on trade with other EU countries.

Liberal Democrats are working with our European neighbours to protect Britain and catch terrorists and criminals who operate across national borders.

Liberal Democrats know that countries have to work together to tackle climate change.

This election is for those that will represent us in Europe after 4 June. The Lib Dems are showing not only do they understand the domestic financial situation but also that we know what European co-operation is about, why it is needed and why we need to be in it at the vanguard.

La Lingua Franca pour Fiona

The Scottish Education Minister Fiona Hyslop has been accused of letting down Scotland's future. It was announced that one in five schools no longer offer German at Higher Level and one in then fail to provide students an option for higher French. 'Scotland the Brave' is failing to educate to take our place linguistically in a modern Europe.



Le ministre de l'éducation écossais Fiona Hyslop a été accusé de laisser vers le bas futur d'Ecosse. On lui a annoncé qu'un dans cinq écoles n'offrent plus l'Allemand à de plus haut niveau et un dans puis ne fournissent pas des étudiants une option pour un Français plus élevé. 'L'Ecosse le Courageux' n'instruit pas pour prendre notre endroit linguistiquement en Europe moderne.



Der schottische Bildungsminister Fiona Hyslop ist von die Zukunft von Schottland unten lassen beschuldigt worden. Es wurde verkündet, dass ein in fünf Schulen nicht mehr Deutsches an hochgradigem anbieten und eins in dann Kursteilnehmer eine Wahl für höhere Franzosen bereitstellen nicht können. 'Schottland das Tapfere' das erziehen nicht kann, um unser in ein modernes Europa linguistisch stattzufinden.



Regular readers and my SNP rival out here in Linlithgow Ms. Hyslop will probably be glad to hear that I will not continue to write ever paragraph alternatively in my schoolboy French then German. Nor was I going to carry on in my University business Spanish and the smattering of phrases in Italian, Scandinavian language, Dutch or Polish that I’ve assimilated through work in Edinburgh just didn’t cut the mustard*. However, a Government spokesperson yesterday said:

"Modern Languages are key to creating a more successful Scotland. The changes the Scottish Government is bringing in through Curriculum for Excellence reinforce the expectation that schools will offer a modern language by no later than Primary 6 anddeliver relevant language learning."

However, the failure to not sustain that choice of language learning to students at Higher level is startling. Questions most be asked about how a government with aspirations to have be a strong, innovative, independent nation within Scotland seems incapable of standing up for language learning at this level. The above statement is fine in encouraging language skills are available at a young age but fails to promise too maintain a choice in the major languages without potentially changing educational establishment or alternative means.

*Update: It has been pointed out by a work colleague that I omitted Portuguese from the above list of languages. Obrigado. Aceite minha desculpa.

Can You Name 10 Famous Belgians?

Probably not, but by the end of this week you may well be able to name 10 Belgian businesses. Following on from Fortis being helped out by the Benelux governments on Sunday, today is the turn of Dexia.

Dexia is one of the world's largest lenders to local governments, but has run up significant losses in its US operations. It is now partially nationalised by the Belgian, Luxembourg and French governments, to the sum of an investment of 3bn, 400m and 3bn Euros respectively. Its Financial Security Assistance unit which dealt in US bond insurance posted a 2nd quarter loss of $330m and has subsequently been hit by the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

This morning shares in the European markets have been hit by the US congress decision not to approve the bail out plan yesterday, following losses on the Asian markets overnight. However, after early losses many have rallied just in time for the New York Stock Exchange to open.

More Effort Needed to Reach Targets

No this isn't from school report but could well be and it is a comment that can be levelled at the UK's miserable attempts to cut CO2 emissions as part of the EU's carbon trading scheme.

In the last year the EU's CO2 emissions actually rose by 0.68%. The UK was well above this average at 2.2%. However, overall the rise was below the increase in GDP which suggests that new development is taking environmental concerns into consideration.

Yet the EU has a target to reduce emissions by 20% by 2020. At recent meetings of the Linlithgow Initiative for Climate Change (LICC) one element of these targets was raised. If we are on course or exceeding our targets we're doing more for climate change than if we are leaving all the reductions to the last few years of each of the target periods. Sadly the UK appears to be taking the latter approach which is just not good enough. Indeed to be increasing year on year means that net by the end of this period we'll have done more harm than the good intended by the targets objective when it was set out.

Even the excuse that we have given 59 organisations carbon credits shows that there is lack on effort and energy on the part of major corporations to play their part while this get out scheme from penalty is in operation. As the carbon credit scheme is also used this way by the worlds major polluting countries the USA and China to carry on regardless everyone should be aiming to not take up a carbon credit or do away with the option altogether.

Oh What a Night

Wow! That was some night of emmotion for any Liverpool or Arsenal fan last night.

Arsenal take the early edge of Liverpool by cancelling out their away goal with Diaby 13 minute strike. Liverpool had been under so much pressure up to that point and for another 10 minutes afterwards. Then some sort of composure came to Liverpool in this game played at high velocity. Attacks started to materialise and a corner was won. Then as regular as clockwork having shrugged off Philippe Senderos, we were told by the commentators, Sami Hyypia scored his quarter final Champion's League goal to go with the ones he scored in 2002 and 2005.

Half time came with the score ties at 1-1 the score in the previous 3 meetings of these teams this season. There was talk about extra time and penalties until a long ball over Peter Crouch found Fernado Torres his back to goal and two defenders behind him. He chested it down turned unto his strong right foot and lauched a strike into the far right of the Kop end goal, giving Almunia no chance.

We were reminded that now the game would finish in 90 minutes no matter what. That the game was on a knive edge as an Arsenal goal would put them through on away goals et cetera, et cetera. Wenger shuffled his pack bringing on Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie. Benitez took off Crouch for a more defensive Ryan Babel.

Then Walcott started a run on the edge of his own box. Started by beating Gerrard, Aurelio, Alonso, left Hyppia with no option on thge edge of the Liverpool box but to let his run. Then with three waiting in the middle he crossed it behind Skrtel into the path of Adebayor to tie up the score on the night but give Arsenal the advantage again with only 6 minutes remaining.

It brought me to my feet I could no longer watch from my sofa. Then at the other end Ryan Babel surged into the box, Kolo Toure looked awkward around him and brought Babel down in the box. The ref unlike last week's tangle pointed to the spot. The skipper Steven Gerrard stepped up in front of the Kop to balst the penalty into the left of the goal giving Almunia no chance.

Arsenal had to throw everyone forward in the last minutes for one last ditch attempt to stay in the competition. But when it broke down a clearance found Ryan Babel one on one with a tired Arsenal defender outsprinting him towards goal and calmly slotted home a forth and decisive goal.

So Liverpool face Chelsea in yet another Champions League semi-final we know where that led in 2005 and 2007. Will history repeat itself?

The Cruel Statistics of Fate

What is in a number? As someone who works with them all day analysing them, creating reports based on them quite a lot. But there are certain numbers, 42, being a prime example that will always breing a smile to me face no matter how hard the day has been.

Therefore when a number has double meaning it sticks out even more. Last night as you may well be aware, if not you must have avoiding all British Media outlets successfully, ammendment 293 of the EU (ammendment) Bill failed. It was a Conservative ammendment calling for a referendum on Lisbon Treaty. It was defeated by 63 members of the House, ironically exactly the same number as the number of MPs the Liberal Democrats have in the House of Commons. The party who imposed a three line whip no to vote.

It was like fate was pointing out something there. That one number would have had even bigger ramifications if all 63 of the Lib Dems had abstained, as then if the party had not abstained it would undoubtedly have fallen upon the Speakers Chair for the casting vote.

It first struck me last night when I saw the number flash up on BBC Parliament, but then numbers do that to me. However, I didn't post it earlier as I felt it would only have diluted the point of this mornings thoughts. But the more I went over it this morning the more the number kept coming back to me.

Were the Fifteen Truer on Principle?

Altogether yesterday fifteen Liberal Democrat MPs ignored Nick Clegg's call to follow the majority view of the Parliamentary Party to abstain on the issue of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. But did Alistair Carmichael, Tim Farron and David Heath resign from the front bench in vain or were they holding true to the manifesto promises? Did the 12 others who joined them on the two divisions get it wrong?

Personally I was sitting with 2005 manifesto in hand as I listened out the end of the days debate, which included my own MP who is also Chair of the European Scrutiny Committee. The exact pledge to the public that is at issue is:

European enlargement means the EU needs reform to become more efficient and more accountable. The new constitution helps to achieve this by improving EU coherence, strengthening the powers of the elected European Parliament compared to the Council of Ministers, allowing proper oversight of the unelected Commission, and enhancing the role of the national parliaments. It also more clearly defines and limit=s the powers of the EU, reflecting diversity and preventing overcentralisation. We are therefore clear in our support for the constitution, which we believe is in Britain's interest - but ratification must be subject to a referendum of the British Public.

Does the Lisbon Treaty not set out to do all the things listed above? Is not what 62 of those MPs, the exception being the MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, myself and hundreds of others stood on just under 3 years ago? Isn't that what we our party approved at conference almost exactly 3 years ago?

In my view the three front bench spokespersons got it right along with John Pugh, Annette Brooke, Richard Younger-Ross, Martin Horwood, Greg Mulholland, Sandra Gidley, John Leech, Mark Williams, John Hemming, Paul Holmes, Andrew George, and Mike Hancock. We are a party of principle and these 15 maintained theirs.