Monday 6 December 2010

EU: bottom up = top down!

EurActiv reports that The EU (Committee of the Regions) -wishes to involve local and regional government in the fight against climate change.
"Barroso told the CoR that he is strongly in favour of the idea of "territorial pacts" to back-up the implementation of the 2020 strategy and oblige national governments to work in partnership with their regional and local authorities. Under this idea, a regional government would negotiate and sign an agreement with its national government and also with the European Commission."
This idea drives a wedge between national governments and their local authorities - nay, it is cuts out the middle man! It is a method whereby the European Commission gains even more direct control of policies affecting the ordinary member of the public. Note the word 'oblige' in Barroso's statement (for oblige read order) and as such is a further step towards total dictatorship by the EU. Contrary to what we are told by Nicola Beer (who 'ales' not, unfortunately) this is not bottom-up as the bottom will be told what to do by the top!

Just the type of dictatorial attitude and policy idea one would expect from a power-crazy body that proclaims it is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom and democracy - no wonder the Lib/|Lab/Con parties are such enthusiastic participants!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yep, too right, WfW.

This was the idea of Prescott's RDAs and RAs - to separate local communities from our government.

I thought that Pickles had made a good start at dismantling this nonsense but I fear Cameron's/Clegg's poison is seeping down through.

We have to remember, the structure is there - remember that lovely phrase, Capacity Building - their people are already in place.

Witterings from Witney said...

BJ: remember they may have abolished the RDAs but they have replaced them with Local Area Partnerships - same body, different name. And they think no-one has noticed? Prats!