Tag Archives: UK European Commissionner 2009

Baroness Vadera, the next UK name in the frame for the Commission

Baroness Vadera - CC / Flickr

Baroness Vadera - CC / Flickr

There were a few messages on Twitter and a lengthy post from ResEuropa about the prospect of Baroness Shriti Vadera being appointed as the British member of the European Commission this autumn. The story stems from this article in The Times.

Firstly, let me set the record straight from the article: “The appointment would require David Cameron to co-operate with one of Mr Brown’s most controversial ministers if the Tories win the next election” – well, yes, but the appointment of the Commissioner is in Brown’s hands, so whoever he appoints might have to deal with Cameron. Look at Wallström – she’s been dealing with Reinfeldt since 2006. “If he becomes convinced that he is more likely to win for Britain the coveted position of Competition Commissioner by nominating Lady Vadera, he will not hesitate to propose his former aide, officials believe” – that must be considered highly unlikely. Neelie Kroes, a liberal free marketeer, has held the competition portfolio, and I simply cannot see France or Germany accepting a Brit in that position now, someone who would pursue the same sort of line as Kroes.

But would Vadera – in whatever position – actually be any good?

As a starting point Vadera is probably a better bet than Baroness Ashton, the current incumbent. Vadera is a close ally of Brown’s, has undoubted intellect, and I cannot imagine her being as low-key as Ashton. There’s of course the lingering legal question of whether a member of the House of Lords legally should be able to become a Commissioner…

Secondly, as with Ashton, Brown would not need to hold a by-election, so in UK political tactical terms, the appointment of Vadera would be good for him.

Thirdly, the appointment of a woman from an ethnic minority would be good for the diversity of the European Commission, a body typically filled with grey suited old men.

But – and there had to be a but – I am still very far from convinced by the appointment. Vadera has a fearsome reputation in Whitehall, and although I have never personally met her, there are people who refer to her as shitty Vadera due to her harsh style and ability to make people cry in meetings.

Further, while being one of the Brown clan might mean she has ways into the top of government, the Gordon clique-of-brutes style of leadership categorically does not work in Brussels. A smooth, understated, networking style works best in the corridors of the Berlaymont, a style that even Mandelson failed to master. Could Vadera accomplish this? Somehow I doubt it…

But of course an individual’s ability to do a good job doesn’t really come into it, does it.

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Just a normal EU day really

radio5I like the European Parliament elections. It makes EU stuff interesting and now is one of the few times that the mainstream media is interested in EU matters. At short notice I was contacted by BBC Radio 5 Live this morning and asked to appear on the Victoria Derbyshire show commenting on MEPs’ expenses, essentially replying to this article in today’s Times. I was up against Mats Persson of Open Europe, and you can hear the debate here – 1 hour 5 minutes into the programme. Overall the debate was rather strange – the MEP pension and expenses rules are very complex and, as with the UK MP scandals, there’s no rule breaking here – it’s just that the rules are set up wrongly. Plus there is little debate about openness of expenses in out EU countries – more on that here. Anyway, a fun experience to be on UK national radio.

In EU news more generally – the stuff I would have liked to talk about – there are 2 new developments today regarding the nomination of the UK’s member of the European Commission, a matter I’ve previously posted about. Geoff Hoon has been further implicated in the UK expenses scandal today, and looks likely to be ousted in Brown’s reshuffle this week. Patricia Hewitt has also announced she is to stand down as a MP, presumably to spend more time with her consultancies family. Or is she just paving the way for a nomination as Commissioner? Overall though all the mess in Westminster means that a strong outsider is needed more than ever – come on Ken Livingstone, Brussels needs you!

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Shockingly bad EU article in The Observer

Geoff Hoon - Creative Commons / Flickr

Geoff Hoon - Creative Commons / Flickr

I have a simple rule for my own blog: I don’t write about things I don’t know something about. So there’s no US politics here, and nothing about the credit crunch – others are much better qualified to write about those sorts of things.

Oh how I wish print journalists would follow the same approach!

There’s an article in The Observer today about the UK’s nominee to be a member of the next European Commission that is so dreadfully, achingly inaccurate that it makes me want to scream. It’s written by Toby Helm, ‘Whitehall Editor’ for The Observer. Maybe he better stick to his coverage of Whitehall…

So why is the article so bad?

Hoon, a former Europe minister and member of the European Parliament, is likely to be offered the four-year post later this year

No, wrong, Commissioners serve 5 year terms of office. Helm might have looked at the Wikipedia page for Peter Mandelson to discover he took office in the Commission in 2004, and the term lasts until 2009 – 5 years.

…taking over from Lady Ashton, who has been filling in since Peter Mandelson was recalled to the cabinet in September

Well, no. Baroness Ashton is not a stand-in – - her position has precisely the same legal status as Mandelson’s did. Plus Mandelson was not recalled by Gordon Brown – i.e. Brown could not force Mandy out of the Commission. Mandelson was invited to return to UK government and chose to resign from the Commission. Member States cannot – legally – recall Commissioners. If in doubt have a look at Article 213 TEC.

Senior figures in government say Hoon’s nomination would be expedient because of delays to the timetable of nominating commissioners – which would normally start in late summer – caused by Ireland’s second referendum on the Lisbon treaty last autumn. This means the next batch of European commissioners are unlikely to take up their posts until the end of this year or the beginning of next.

“This would mean we would be close enough to a general election for us not to have to call a byelection in his seat [Ashfield],” said an insider. “We do not want to have a byelection for obvious reasons.”

This is horribly wide of the mark. The conclusions of the European Council held last month state: “the Irish Government is committed to seeking ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by the end of the term of the current Commission“, so that’s by 31st October 2009, the formal end of the term of the current Commission. No delays, no messing around. OK, Ireland might vote No again, but that’s another question entirely.

Then think about it further… Is Ireland going to hold the referendum in the winter months, November or December? Highly unlikely. Is the UK going to hold a general election within 3 months (or so) of 31st October 2009? Almost impossible. Also Article 214 TEC states that the Commission term shall be 5 years, no provision for delays. Plus Hoon has a majority of more than 10000 in his constituency – Ashfield. If Labour can hold Glenrothes, when why not Ashfield?

How, how, how can a major UK newspaper get away with publishing something that is so completely and utterly rubbish? No wonder the UK population is bewildered by the EU when paid journalists cannot even be bothered to do a bit of basic research about what the rules are.

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