EU

DNA

The European Union "Prum Treaty" allows automated access to national police databases holding biometrics and data on DNA, fingerprints and vehicle registrations.

The proposed Stockholm programme aims to harmonise databases and IT systems to make this process easier. The European Extradition Warrant allows the courts of any EU country to call on those of another to order the automatic extradition of anyone suspected of offences under 32 headings, including "xenophobia" and any criminal offence affecting public order and security.

A load of ballots!
Not long now, the elections will soon be over. What elections? What indeed! The elections for the EU Parliament, that's what. Have you seen a flag, a poster or anything that may get you out to vote? Many 'serious' UK based political commentators were slow to see the importance of the UK MPs expenses' scandal, very surprising that as it is a once in twenty-years type of event. They were equally slow to see that one of the by-products of this would be a fall in enthusiasm for the eu-elections.

Such is the mood of the public it would be a fool who tried to suggest that these elections are vital to us here in the UK. The public anger over expenses has become, some would say reverted, to anger towards politics in general. The public, the voter, wishes to send a message to the political establishment and abstaining from elections is one way of doing this. So voter turn-out for the Euro Parliament elections could be well down.

Nice curtains !
The mental well being of the Prime Minister (see right) is an interesting subject and crops up in all sorts of odd places. Not only now but for some time there have been mutterings, this has even lead to controversy as to who called Brown "psychologically flawed" first, Tony Blair or Alistair Campbell. But then 'with friends like that', what else can be expected you may say. In the Times Rachel Sylvester writes, principally, about the Nulabour drift to the left and, in doing so, touches not only on the challengers to Brown's authority but, incidentally, their own equanimity too.

Daniel Hannan gives another impassioned speech summing up the EU and the democratic deficit. He diplomatically fails to mention that Mr Cameron refuses to say whether the Conservatives would hold a referendum if they won the next election but the Lisbon Treaty had already been ratified by all the member states.

Cameron, Hague and friends simply repeat the enigmatic mantra that: "they will not let matters rest there".

This has been ignored by the MSM, I wonder why?

You may have seen Gordon Brown making his speech at the EU gathering. You may have even read the speech, it was over-long and sad as it was nothing more than a "help me" plea from a drowning man. Even the most distant and disconnected EU staffer must have seen this.

Hannan does a very good speech and, so they say, exceeds the usual time limit allowed by the EU, not for him, unlike Brown, the opportunity to ramble from one platitude to the next.

But good as he is the best bit is the one second cameo appearance put in by Gordon Brown. Perhaps unused to being criticised in such a direct and accurate manner Brown seems to be unable to cope. He is seen writing and grinning as a way of showing he is neither annoyed or embarrassed. Which he clearly is. Roll on the G20?