Daily Express - EUROZONE CRISIS: VOTE U-TURN IS LATEST TWIST IN GREEK FARCE

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, centre, with ministers in a cabinet meeting in Athens

Friday November 4,2011

By Alison Little and Macer Hall

 Have your say(4)

GREEK hopes of a referendum on the EU bailout were evaporating last night after a day of high farce and chaos in Athens.

In a sudden U-turn, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou offered to drop his proposal for a national vote in return for opposition support for the bailout plan.

His humiliating change of mind followed widespread reports that he had quit his post in the face of a cabinet revolt.

And he still faces being ousted in a crunch confidence vote in Greece’s Parliament today.

One Greek MP branded the government “a madhouse”.

Mr Papandreou told an emergency meeting of his cabinet: “I will be glad even if we don’t go to a referendum, which was never a purpose in itself. I’m glad that all this discussion has at least brought a lot of people back to their senses.”

But his about-face – less than 48 hours after his surprise announcement of a referendum – ignited fears that EU chiefs had bullied Greece into accepting the £111billion international bailout deal under threat of withdrawing all cash support.

What we are seeing here is the slow but deliberate strangulation of democracy to suit the jaded dreams of the European elite

Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party

Euro-MP Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, said: “For a while the people of Britain were jealous of Greece, after all they were going to get a referendum. But of course now we can only feel empathy with them. They are in a similar boat – no referendum and a Government that nobody ever voted for.

“What we are seeing here is the slow but deliberate strangulation of democracy to suit the jaded dreams of the European elite.”

The situation was mired in confusion last night as the Greek opposition appeared to reject Mr Papandreou’s olive branch offer of talks on forming a government of national unity.

Greek opposition leader Antonis Samaras urged Mr Papandreou to resign and demanded snap elections in six weeks.

Differing reports about what was happening in Greece were regularly being received at the meeting of heads of government and finance ministers at the G20 summit in Cannes. Some ministers were consulting their mobile phones during talks to check on the latest news from Athens.

Chancellor George Osborne later told reporters that it was “clearly a pretty fluid situation” in Greece, adding: “I don’t particularly want to comment – not least because it might have changed while I’m talking to you now.”

Sources added later that the Greeks were coming under “strong political pressure” from the G20 leaders, including French president Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, “to sort themselves out”.

Mr Papandreou’s U-turn followed tense talks with Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy on Wednesday evening.

They effectively told the Greek Prime Minister to accept the EU’s rescue proposals – including severe austerity measures – or face losing any financial support from the EU and the International Monetary Fund.

Earlier the chairman of the group of eurozone countries, Jean-Claude Juncker, said plans were in place for a Greek exit from the euro.

“We are absolutely prepared for the situation that I have described and do not want to see come about,” he said.

Meanwhile pressure for European voters to be given a say was growing in other parts of Europe.

In Germany, the influential Bild newspaper called for a national referendum on whether German taxpayers should keep bailing out the eurozone.

Daily Express - BRITAIN SCRIMPS YET WE PAY EXTRA TO SAVE EURO

Nicolas Sarkozy, Barack Obama and David Cameron before the start of the G20 talks in France

Friday November 4,2011

By Alison Little, Deputy Political Editor

 Have your say(7)

UP TO £30billion more of British taxpayers’ cash could be put at risk in a new bail-out bid to stop the eurozone imploding, it emerged last night.

Prime Minister David Cameron led US President Obama and his other counterparts in seeking to boost the International Monetary Fund’s resources at the G20 in France – enraging senior Tories in the process.

As the Greek debt crisis overshadowed the summit’s opening, Mr Cameron said Britain was ready to boost its contribution to the IMF so it can take the lead on the bailout.

“We face profound difficulties – unprecedented in our lifetimes – which have cast a pall over the advanced and emerging economies alike,” he said.

“We can only tackle this crisis by working together, diverse in our experience, united in our action.”

The UK guarantees £29billion of IMF loans of £600billion and last night there were hints it could be doubled.

In a blow to host Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, talks were dominated by frustration at the inability of eurozone leaders to execute last week’s rescue plan – and fears the delay will see the debt crisis spread to new countries like Italy.

Any use of IMF money to bail out the eurozone would be a misuse of IMF money. If there is any suggestion it is to be used to bail out the euro, I will vote against it.

Tory MP Peter Bone

Conflicting reports about the troubled Greek government stoked confusion.

Flying into a rain-lashed Cannes, Mr Cameron defended calling for the IMF to be given extra firepower.

He said: “When the world is in crisis, it is right that you consider boosting the IMF, an organisation founded by Britain in which we are a leading player.’’

He played down the risk to British cash, insisting no shareholder in the world economic watchdog ever lost money by lending to it.

‘’I’m here to safeguard the British economy,’’ he pledged.

‘’There is a big opportunity here, because if the world could come together and solve some of its problems – the worst of which is the eurozone crisis – that would be a boost to the British economy.’’

The Government stressed that the IMF helps countries all over the world, not just in the eurozone – where it has already helped the bailouts of Greece, Ireland and Portugal – and that boosting its lending potential was a “precaution’’ to reassure markets it could handle any future emergency.

But increases in sums the UK puts at the IMF’s disposal will outrage taxpayers and put Mr Cameron on collision course with many Tories including leading eurosceptic MPs.

Douglas Carswell said every British household was “on the hook’’ for £500 to prop up a currency.

He said: “Now you’re about to be made to stump up more via a further increase in our IMF contribution. All the weasel words in Westminster about how this is not a direct euro bailout are so much blah blah.

“Ministers need to level with the British people and tell them the truth; the Government wants to send even more British money to the IMF to bail out Euro basket cases.’’.

Tory MP Peter Bone said: “Any use of IMF money to bail out the eurozone would be a misuse of IMF money. If there is any suggestion it is to be used to bail out the euro, I will vote against it.’’

Colleague Philip Davies said: “The Government is having to scrimp and save as it is; there certainly isn’t enough money to shove into IMF coffers for bailing out countries that cannot look after themselves.

“It is utterly unacceptable that taxpayers’ money should be used in this way. We cannot support the euro, which is a busted flush – and I do not accept that the money we give to the IMF is not going to end up in the eurozone.’’

Details of how much more the world might be called on to bankroll the IMF could emerge by the summit’s end later today with draft conclusions apparently suggesting donors could boost their funding voluntarily.

Ministers refused to speculate on numbers. But if funding doubled it could increase the UK’s share from £29billion – 4.5 per cent of the IMF’s £600billion lending capacity – to nearly £60billion. The Government also says that of the UK existing commitment only £5billion has yet been called upon and our stake is viewed as an asset to Britain’s coffers.

Some commentators suggest the price of saving the eurozone could be as much as two trillion pounds.

Just last week eurozone leaders proposed the creation of a one trillion euro – £870billion – bailout fund to end the crisis, but it has yet to materialise.

President Obama added his voice to calls for more details of the eurozone’s own rescue plan.

He said: The most important aspect of our task over the next few days is to resolve the financial crisis here in Europe.’’

http://www.theparliament.com - Citizens may be compelled to appear before EU parliament

Citizens may be compelled to appear before EU parliament

 By Martin Banks - 2nd November 2011

Plans to allow parliament the right to summon any resident of the EU to appear before it have been branded a "huge power grab".
The attack comes after parliament adopted a report by UK Labour MEP David Martin, allowing MEPs to summon any resident of the EU concerning a matter of European law.

The report also says the assembly should have the right to demand a resident testifies under oath at a parliamentary inquiry and impose sanctions through the member state if the person does not comply.

The proposal has to be endorsed by member states and most think this is highly unlikely but, if approved, the regulation would be binding in all member states.

But the move has been condemned by UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who said, "This is a huge power grab by the European parliament which is demanding investigatory powers binding on the UK and other countries.

"It now demands that UK authorities impose sanctions on citizens who refuse to comply with demands of the parliament to appear before it.

"This is just plain crazy.

"This report gives parliament the power to summon either the Queen or our prime minister for questioning.

"It is all the more shocking because its rapporteur is a Labour MEP.

"This is another huge loss of rights by UK citizens and a further unwelcome intrusion by the EU. This report attacks the basic rights of British citizens and is unacceptable."

Since 1995, parliament has set up three committees of inquiry to investigate VAT and customs duties fraud, the handling of mad cow disease and the financial debacle at Equitable Life.

Under the proposals, any EU citizen would retain the right to refuse to speak under oath. EU and member states' officials may also be asked to speak before any committee of inquiry.

But the proposed regulation would oblige member states to punish those who refuse "without justification" to provide documents or to testify.

And the slow EU power creep continues.....

Daily Express - GREECE SET TO REJECT EU BAIL-OUT IN REFERENDUM

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has called for a referendum on the EU bailout

Tuesday November 1,2011

By Daily Express reporter

 Have your say(14)

GREECE plunged Europe further into crisis last night by announcing a referendum on the debt reduction deal...just days after it was hammered out.

The surprise pledge by premier George Papandreou stunned fellow leaders. 

While key details on the referendumhave yet to be agreed, jittery markets are calling for certainty that the eurozone will 
get its house in order.

Polls suggest that 60 per cent of Greeks do not back the rescue plan – suggesting a defeat for beleaguered prime minister George Papandreou. 

If the deal is rejected there will be greater pressure for the country to default on its debts and quit the single currency – another disaster for the euro. 

60 per cent of Greeks do not back the rescue plan put forward by the EU summit

Back home, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: “The British people will be looking at Greece thinking if they can have a referendum why can’t we?” 

The announcement was just another wave in a tsunami of bad news yesterday. Stock exchanges fell and traders were spooked by reports China may not now invest as much in the bail-out fund as hoped. 

The OECD warned of a slowdown in the zone next year, saying G20 leaders due to meet this week had to take bold decisions to stave off recession.

Daily Mail - Flying proudly over the birthplace of Libya's revolution, the flag of Al Qaeda (side issue)

The black flag of Al Qaeda was hoisted in Libya yesterday as Nato formally ended its military campaign.

The standard fluttered from the roof of the courthouse in Benghazi, where the country’s new rulers have imposed sharia law since seizing power.

Seen as the seat of the revolution, the judicial building was used by rebel forces to establish their provisional government and media centre.

Change of regime? A trademark Al Qaeda flag was seen flying over Benghazi's courthouse last week

Flying high: The Al Qaeda flag, with Arabic writing and a moon design, can be seen flying alongside a Libyan national flag above Benghazi's courthouse

There are reports that extremists have been seen on Benghazi’s streets at night, waving the Al Qaeda flag and shouting ‘Islamiya, Islamiya! No East, nor West

The flag has been spotted on the courthouse several times, prompting denials from the National Transitional Council that it was responsible.

Complete with Arabic script declaring ‘there is no God but Allah’ and a full moon underneath, it was hoisted alongside the Libyan national flag.

A sudden lurch toward extremism will alarm many in the West who supported the ousting of Colonel Gaddafi.

The Al-Qaeda flag was seen above Benghazi's courthouse just days after Libyan rebels imposed Sharia law on parts of the country (file picture)

It also threatens to embarrass David Cameron who staked his personal reputation on the campaign to free Libya from the tyrant. Nato stuck to its decision to end its seven-month operation despite calls from the National Transitional Council for it to stay longer.

Allies of Nato have been keen to see a quick conclusion to a costly effort that has involved 26,000 air sorties and round-the-clock naval patrols.

The UN Security Council authorised the mission in March to protect civilians in the civil war.

Nato staff temporarily seconded to the headquarters in Naples for the Libyan operation are being reassigned to their regular duties, officials said.

Last week, the country’s interim leader, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, declared that sharia will be the ‘basic source’ of legislation.

The chairman of the National Transitional Council has also declared the country’s future parliament will have an ‘Islamist tint’.

Sharia law is a form of hardline Islamic rule favoured by fundamentalist groups such as the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Mr Abdul-Jalil has been at pains to insist ‘that we as Libyans are moderate Muslims’, and has said the proposed constitution is ‘temporary’ and will be put to a referendum.

But he has given a speech in which he said any law that ‘violates sharia’ is ‘null and void’.

This means Libyan men will be free to take more than one wife, a policy branded a ‘disaster for women’ by Adelrahman al-Shatr, a founder of the newly-formed centre-right Party of National Solidarity.

He said: ‘By abolishing the marriage law, women lose the right to keep the family home if they divorce. It is a disaster for Libyan women.

‘It is a subject that should be discussed with the different political groups and with the Libyan people. These declarations create feelings of pain and bitterness among women.’

A spokesman for a group called Women Living Under Muslim Laws said: ‘Women are directly targeted by this change in laws and will lose many acquired rights in the process.’

The Benghazi courthouse was the epicentre of the revolution and on its forecourt in February running battles were fought with Gaddafi’s  mercenaries in the first few days of the uprising.

After Benghazi fell to the rebels, the courthouse became the headquarters of the fledgling leadership. They barricaded the main doors with wooden logs and set up a rudimentary government on the first floor, from where they worked tirelessly to organise the rest of the eight-month revolution.

To this day, captured tanks parked outside the courthouse are a playground for children and a symbol of the people’s defeat of the tyrant.

Success: Nato has destroyed around 5,900 military targets since it began operations in Libya seven months ago

There's something seriously wrong here, are they telling us our intelligence agencies & the mighty CIA new nothing of this? Come on! So our troops have been fighting along side Al Qaeda!


This is going to be a very dangerous flashpoint indeed, Mr Hague & the UN for that matter will have a lot of explaining to about this one!  

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2055630/Flying-proudly-birthplace-Libyas-revolution-flag-Al-Qaeda.html#ixzz1cRtsp1ep

Daily Express - 50% OF TORY MPS WANT BRITAIN TO LEAVE THE EU

Fresh EU warning from Nick Clegg

Tuesday November 1,2011

By Tom Morgan

 Have your say(11)

HALF of all Tory MPs want Britain to pull out of the EU, it emerged ­yesterday.

More than 150 – nearly twice as many as those who voted for a referendum last week – want the UK to free itself from the shackles of Brussels ­interference.

Conservative rebel Mark Reckless claimed as many as half of the 306-strong Parliamentary party were in favour of total withdrawal.

He said the proportion was “probably quite similar to the country as a whole”, citing a recent YouGov poll that claimed 52 per cent of people want to come out of Europe and only 31 per cent want to stay in.

His comments come amid fresh demands for an EU vote after Greece announced it was to hold a plebiscite on a new European bailout.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said he wants voters to decide in a referendum if they want the 100 billion euro handout.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: “The majority of British people will be looking at Greece thinking if they can have a referendum then why can’t we?”

The majority of British people will be looking at Greece thinking if they can have a referendum then why can’t we?

Ukip leader Nigel Farage

The domestic European row deepened yesterday as Nick Clegg fired a fresh warning to Tory Eurosceptics not to leave Britain isolated in the EU, ratcheting up tension with the coalition Government.

The Deputy Prime Minister told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Isolation costs jobs, costs growth, costs people’s livelihoods.

“That is why people need to be careful what they wish for, because if you wilfully move to the margins of Europe, you will find that it is hitting people where it hurts most.”

Mr Clegg said the “urgent, overriding national priority” for the whole coalition should be to ­promote jobs and growth.

He said: “If instead we rush headlong down a cul-de-sac of increasingly arcane, legalistic arguments about changes to treaties that may or may not be open to renegotiation in the future, then I think that would be a form of displacement activity from our overriding national duty.

“We have got to get the best out of the European Union, not seek to get out of the European Union.”

His comments came as David Cameron braces himself for the first test of his authority since 81 Conservative MPs defied the Whip over a referendum on Europe.

Next week MPs debate plans to approve the EU £900billion budget and are expected to demand a vote, another blow to the Prime Minister.

Backbench MPs could try to pressure the Government to veto plans for new taxes to fund the budget.

News Flash: Clegg It's not your call, your only postponing the inevitable, the British people will have democracy with or without you! Perhaps it's time for occupy Westminster, never mind capitalism, how about pro democracy for a change?