The Fourth Reich

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The Fourth Reich - Without a Shot Fired

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001

Answers

I've been watching this news story and waiting to see if anyone says, "WHOA, THERE!" So far, nobody has.

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001

P.S. I should be very much surprised if the Dutch don't say anything. Influential people in The Netherlands have been worried about just such a development since at least the early eighties. I don't look for much from Blair, whom I am beginning to hold in deeper and deeper contempt as each week goes by.

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001

Is Europe heading for a super-state?

Link

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001


Git, I find it amazing there hasn't been an uproar over this myself... maybe their waiting to see the details... It reads to me as if Germany through the EU is about to accomplish what two world wars couldn't...

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001

Carl, my generation and older are still, generally speaking, the type of Brits most Americans are familiar with. But starting with the generation behind us and, especially, the ones suceeding them--my God, you wouldn't believe how left-wing they are! I kept thinking they would become more conservative as they got older but they haven't.

I'm not as homesick as I used to be.

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001



OG, are the younger generations truly leftist or just so dependent upon the Nanny State that they cannot conceive of any alternative that pleases them? The ones I met were absolutely outraged at the thought that there was anything they should have to do for themselves. A psychology sort of like the ancient Roman Republic after the citizens discovered they could vote themselves bread and circuses. Of course, right after that, the Republic became a dictatorship.

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001

I don't know a sufficient number of young people to say. Blair's "nanny state" has been in existence such a short time (relatively speaking). Under Thatcher, Britain surged forward and there was great pride in the country. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the class system, which still makes itself felt. Those who want to abolish the monarchy (a majority among those under 40) don't seem to realize that what will replace it will be a privileged few who are just as bad.

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001

OG.. That's something I haven't heard discussed.. Who's gonna be the Monarch of the EU.. Lets see.. There's the Brit house (which is German anyway so they could get some votes from there).. Or Spain's as the leading contenders.

And a bunch more minor houses

Who would be the leading contenders??

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001


You'd better ask Blair--he's been busy creating "People's Peers," none of whom, as it turns out, are ordinary schmucks.

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001

BBC - Thursday, 26 April, 2001, 14:45 GMT 15:45 UK

MP attacks people's peers 'pantomime'

The peers will take their seats after the election Fifteen so-called "people's peers" have been chosen in the first exercise of its kind from more than 3,000 aspiring applicants for the House of Lords.

Sir Paul Condon, the former Metropolitan Police commissioner, and the Commission for Racial Equality's ex-chairman Sir Herman Ouseley are among the new peers, who include four appointees from the ethnic minorities and four women.

In spite of earlier expectations that the list would include ordinary members of the public, the final fifteen are all well-known in public life - seven have knighthoods, three are professors and two have OBEs.

Labour MP Gordon Prentice branded the list as a "joke" because it failed to include what he called "ordinary people".

Lord Stevenson, chairman of the appointments commission, rejected suggestions that the list only included establishment figures and no retired head teachers, bus drivers or hairdressers.

He told reporters: "If you actually go through the list of names, there are some names that are perfectly obvious names.

"There are a number of names that it is all very well to say they are establishment but I do not think many people here or reading a newspaper will ever have heard of them."

'Real independence'

He added: "These people are people with real knowledge, real authority and a real independence to bring to bear."

But Labour backbencher Mr Prentice told BBC News Online: "Looking at the list, the way to get into the reformed House of Lords is to be a knight of the shires, a dame or a professor.

"The whole thing is ludicrous and I hope it reignites the debate about what kind of second chamber we have because we don't need this kind of pantomime."

John Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB union, said the Lords must "now be quaffing their champagne in the last chance saloon".

"This response proves that while the membership list may have been reduced, the club remains as big as ever," he added.

Bringing experience

Former Conservative foreign secretary Lord Hurd, a member of the commission, said: "These are people who are independent and they are bringing their experience to the House of Lords.

He said the new peers would give a "powerful boost" to the independent element in the House of Lords.

Lord Hurd said the commission had never used the term "people's peers".

"It has been wished upon us," he said.

More than 3,000 people applied to become peers when the posts were advertised earlier this year.

Lord Stevenson refused to say how many nominees they had interviewed.

Fifteen per cent of the applications came from ethnic minorities, 19% from women, 61% from people under 60 and 98% from British citizens.

At present there are just 20 ethnic minority peers in the 679-strong House of Lords and only 109 women.

Lord Stevenson said the "open" application process had attracted more people from under-represented backgrounds.

'Merit only'

He added: "There has been no positive discrimination.

"We have been very fortunate - we have had some quite outstanding applications. Our decisions have been taken entirely on merit."

The government threw out more than 600 hereditary peers in November 1999 but left a rump of 92 with inherited titles.

A Royal Commission chaired by Lord Wakeham proposed further reform, including having elected peers.

But there is speculation detailed proposals for further reform will not appear in Labour's manifesto for the upcoming general election.

The people's peers are the first members of the Lords to be appointed by the commission.

All previous appointees were decided by the prime minister.

However, the commission's powers to appoint are limited and only relate to non-party political peers.

But it will vet all future nominations to the Lords.

In a separate development, Downing Street announced that the former Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Charles Guthrie, who retired earlier this year, was to be made a life peer on the direct recommendation of Tony Blair.

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001



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