Welcome to the second part in my series examing democracy in the EU. Last time, I attempted to define the “democratic deficit” – and looked a bit at the history of the phrase. In this post I will continue by exploring the two pillars of democracy: popular and constitutional. Again, apologies for the “dry” nature…
Democracy in the EU – Part One: The Problem
So just what is this term “democratic deficit” that everyone uses when they talk about the EU? I’m going to publish a series of posts examining democracy in the EU – starting with a look at the term itself. The content will mostly come from an essay I’m working on, so apologies if the material…
Tory MEP Agrees Gays Aren’t Normal
Does David Cameron even have a clue what his MEPs are up to in the European Parliament? Last week Philip Lardner was suspended from the Conservative Party for writing that homosexuality was not “normal” – the official party line being that Lardner’s views had “no place in the modern Conservative party” and that they were…
The Euro: A Federalist Dream?
I was listening to the excellent BBC Global News Podcast (MP3) the other day and they had Malcolm Brabant – a freelance journalist who reports for the BBC – speaking from Athens (about 16:30 into the podcast). He said something that raised an eyebrow: The logical thing to do, from a completely objective point of…
UK #LeadersDebate
The UK leaders debate last night was great TV. I had my laptop set up with a live stream from the BBC, a couple of weissbiers and snacks in front of me, and I was settled down to a night of entertainment. Next to the video, I had my Twitter stream providing running commentary (I…