Monthly Archives: July 2008

No to a Windfall Tax

Posted on July 28, 2008 by

Labour Party voices, especially on the left and in the unions, are increasingly demanding a windfall tax on energy companies (and on banks and anyone else they can think of).  When criticising the government for failing to get its act … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy | Tagged | 18 Comments

Obamania comes to Britain

Posted on July 25, 2008 by

“Mania: noun: a mental illness that causes a person to be in a state of extreme physical and mental activity, often characterized by a loss of judgment”.  Cambridge Dictionary of American English.   When I was in business, we had … Continue reading →

Posted in US Politics | Tagged | 6 Comments

Sarkozy admits the French would have voted NO to Lisbon

Posted on July 23, 2008 by

With his boundless energy and boyish enthusiasm, diminutive French President Nicolas Sarkozy is reminiscent of Zebedee, the spring-loaded character from The Magic Roundabout (“Byoing!” said Zebedee).  But it can lead him into trouble.  Sarkozy made no attempt to hide his … Continue reading →

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What’s the worst way to cut CO2 emissions?

Posted on July 22, 2008 by

Put ten economists in a room, and they’ll come up with eleven different opinions.  But there’s one thing they’ll agree on, and that is that taxes (if we must have taxes) should be clear, fair, predictable, easy to understand, cheap … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment | Tagged | Leave a comment

OfCom — a victory for common sense

Posted on July 21, 2008 by

Martin Durkin’s Channel 4 film “The Great Global Warming Swindle” caused an explosion of shock and venom from the high priests of climate alarmism.  We can see how far we have strayed from proper science when merely to present an … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change | Tagged | 5 Comments

Does climate resonate with the public?

Posted on July 17, 2008 by

A recent Populus Poll published on Conservative Home breaks down the party’s overall improvement in support by policy area.  Overwhelmingly the Economy comes first, at +36%, with Tax & Spending at +21%, and housing at +17%.  Europe lags in 5th … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change | Tagged | 2 Comments

We all have rights in the EU…except the tobacco industry

Posted on July 17, 2008 by

The EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights comes with the Lisbon Treaty, that Brussels plans to bludgeon through in the teeth public resistance and an Irish NO vote.  It includes the following items:   Article 11, Freedom of expression and information.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe | Tagged | 3 Comments

Give with one hand, take away with the other

Posted on July 9, 2008 by

There is something deeply distasteful about the European parliament posing as the consumer’s friend, with new measures to clarify airline fares in advertising, while at the same time driving up ticket prices by bringing aviation within the infamous EU Emissions … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment | Tagged | Leave a comment

Ramping up the Lunacy

Posted on July 8, 2008 by

I saw a headline on the BBC News web-site, “Brown faces Climate Bill Revolt”, and for one glorious moment I thought that perhaps the Labour Party had had an outbreak of sanity.  But it was not to be.  It seems … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe | Tagged | 1 Comment

The EU’s Perverse Pesticides Policy

Posted on July 8, 2008 by

Just at a time when the world’s food supply is shifting into shortage, when food prices are rocketing and agricultural commodity prices sky-high, when the costs of farming inputs like diesel are shooting up, and when policymakers are creating new … Continue reading →

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Plenary speech on the Irish No Vote

Posted on July 2, 2008 by
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Maggie’s Old School comes to Brussels!

Posted on July 2, 2008 by

  RFH with Duncan Llewellyn and Sarah Law, teachers at Kings School. On July 2nd, a group of pupils from Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, Margaret Thatcher’s old school, together with others from Kings School Grantham, came to Brussels on … Continue reading →

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July 1st: A Torrid Start for the French EU Presidency

Posted on July 1, 2008 by

As I write, July 1st, France takes over the six-month Presidency of the EU.  And they’re off to a rough start, for this morning’s news is that the Polish President Lech Kaczynski has refused to sign off the ratification of … Continue reading →

Posted in EU Presidency | Tagged | 6 Comments