Publicity
for the EU election will mainly be
done by the political parties in each of the 25 member states. But
the parliament itself has allocated a modest amount for publicity nothing
like enough to pay for television adverts, but enough to take on PR consultants
to suggest a few stunts. In the
At a meeting in
In
an effort to turn around the often negative impression that many Britons have
about the European Union, the
There
was a modest little world first last week
when the BBC governors grudgingly upheld a complaint, not from Alastair
Campbell, but from a listener to the Today programme on January 2. The listener
had objected to the shamelessly one-sided
way the programme was used to promote the case for
Edward
Heath created a secret government propaganda unit to persuade the British people
to accept the Common Market. Civil servants were engaged in a dirty tricks
department of the Foreign Office to cover up the threat to sovereignty and
provide rapid rebuttal of anti-Common Market arguments. The European Community
Information Unit operated from 1970 to 1972 as Mr Heath negotiated our way into
From the 11 July, there will be in
excess of eight billion euros of our money allocated to political parties across
the European Union. In true democratic fashion (and as hinted at in the Nice
Treaty) the rules are framed to ensure that none
is likely to reach parties that are eurosceptic. The sheer arrogance of this
festering organisation is breathtaking. (The
Scotsman
New programme Active European citizenship: grants to civic participation actions, 2004-2008 action
programme Proposal for a
COUNCIL DECISION establishing a Community action programme to promote active
European citizenship (civic participation) PURPOSE
: to provide a basic act for the funding of programmes actively promoting
European citizenship. CONTENT : the European Union is committed to promoting
active European Citizenship. For several years support has been provided for
this commitment under headings in Part A and B of the EU's budget. They include
co-financing for the operating costs of: - the Association of the Councils of
State and Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions of the European Union; - the
"Our
The Scottish Executive is putting thousands of pounds into a puppet show in an unconventional attempt to
educate schoolchildren about the European Union. It has emerged that the
Executive has given £10,000 towards the cost of making a half-hour video
featuring a variety of puppet characters who inhabit a fictional kingdom,
Pontefractium, and their efforts to join the EU.
Ivan The Slug And The New Europe, which features sets designed by a
cartoonist from the adult comic Viz, is intended to be used in classrooms
throughout
The Swindon Junior Music Festival is due to take place at the Oasis Centre on March 26, with 30 schools from across town taking part. But Windmill Hill Primary School in Freshbrook has dropped out of the contest after a parent complained about a series of songs called Euro Jazz. The five songs, to be sung by children aged nine to 11, support a fully integrated Europe without border controls and with a single European currency. Lyrics include: "No border fines, no fences, wires or nets, red tape, No regrets!" and "Share a common path, use the common powers, then we'll have one common currency and Europe will be ours." The annual event is being organised by Swindon Music Centre, which is funded by Swindon's Local Education Authority and is based at Churchfields School. Windmill Hill head David Messenger said: "I am aware there are people who have strong views about Europe and when I read the lyrics of the songs I felt the parent who contacted me had a point. "In the past we have enjoyed this concert, it was a super way of getting the children together and was very successful. "Before I made the decision I spoke to the governing body and other parent governors and whilst none of us held particularly strong views about Europe we felt this particular material was very heavily biased." (Evening Advertiser - This is Wiltshire 17/2/03)
Philip Pedley, who teaches at the Northants public school Oundle, has for the past 23 years been taking parties of pupils on historical visits to Germany. A centrepiece of the trip has always been a tour of the Ploetzersee prison outside Berlin, where the Nazis executed more than 2,500 of their opponents, including many of those involved in the von Stauffenberg bomb plot in 1944. "This place of horror naturally chills our pupils," he says, "but I have always regarded the visit as a pilgrimage in honour of those sane individuals who gave their lives for freedom." On his latest visit, he was horrified to see the memorials dominated by a lavish new display commemorating "victims who died for the European Union". This names four German Socialists who believed in a pan-European labour movement. "The idea," says Mr Pedley, "that these brave idealists laid down their lives for the European Union is worse than absurd. It is an outrageous, cynical and immoral rewriting of history. (C Booker - Sunday Telegraph 16/2/03)
MEPs have created their own fictitious sex symbol to raise the profile of the European parliament - sparking a row over EU spending. At the end of January, a full colour 40-page cartoon strip was published by the Parliament which features a buxom Lara Croft-like central figure as an MEP called "Irina", rumoured to be based on an actual MEP. The hardback book entitled "Troubled Waters" (right) is estimated to have cost taxpayers a massive 5 million euro, according to some British MEPs, and is targeted towards a youth market. MEPs originally voted in support of the project in 2001. There has already been a print run of 123,000, which will rise to just over 1 million this year. Currently it is only available in French and English but it will be translated into 9 more languages. There has already been considerable interest in the comic strip. "We've already had many enquiries from schools that want to use either the French or English version for language training", added Harley, who dismissed the 5 million euro production costs estimated by Conservative MEPs. "It costs around 82 cents per copy" he told The Sprout. (The Sprout 16/2/03)
Andrew Neil, a former editor of the Sunday Times, remembered Blair telling him before the 1997 general election that 'how we treat Murdoch's media interests when we are in power depends on how his newspapers treat the Labour Party in the run-up to the election and after we are in government'. Murdoch recognised the come-hither fluttering of the eyebrows. He switched the Sun 's support from the Tories to Labour, and Blair has pampered Murdoch's media interests ever since. The latest present is Channel 5. The Bill contains what everyone in Westminster calls 'the Murdoch clause'. It removes Channel 5 from the ban on the ownership of terrestrial TV stations by infotainment corporations with 20 per cent or more of the national newspaper market. (The Observer 9/2/03). The ultimate aim of course is to get Murdoch to drop his resistance to the "euro", which is harboured by the sound judgement that an "EU" centralised superstate will be very much against his interests, especially when the Marxists in Brussels turn their attention to controlling the media. (not to mention the disastrous economic consequences). It seems possible however that Labour may well try to get him to turn heel, by stuffing his pockets full of gold and keeping him "sweet". If the Murdoch press were on board in any "euro" referendum Labour would - admittedly - have a fighting chance at pulling a fast one over voters, like they did in the two previous elections with Murdoch's full support. (9 Feb 2003 EUROREALIST )
A Social Democrat member of the Bundestag, Uta Zapf, appeared on BBC Radio 4’s "Today" programme defending the decision by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder to impose an injunction, and sue The Mail on Sunday for writing an article about Mr. Schröder’s love affairs. She added that she thought a Europe-wide law should be passed on the matter, thereby imposing German standards of privacy onto this country. The injunction, indeed, has been issued even though none of the offending issues of The Mail on Sunday were distributed in Germany, and even though the newspaper is not available on the Internet. Can this be the same Uta Zapf who for years has been berating the government of Belarus for its "suppression" of press freedom? As head of the OSCE parliamentary assembly, Frau Zapf has been particularly belligerent in her attitude towards Minsk. No doubt we can expect her now to defend President Lukashenko when he tries to impose a *250,000 fine on the next Polish newspaper to criticise him. (European Foundation Intelligence Digest 23rd January 2003)
LORD SAINSBURY, the billionaire government minister, is giving at least £2m to an independent lobby group that campaigns for Britain's membership of the euro. The group, supposed to be funded from a broad base of companies and members, is receiving nearly half its income from the unelected science minister, who is worth an estimated £3 billion. The disclosure will prompt allegations that Britain in Europe intended to lead a coalition of politicians, businessmen and supporters in favour of a "yes" vote in a euro referendum is a front for the government and in the pocket of an ally of Tony Blair. The organisation was set up in 1999 in a fanfare of publicity with Blair appearing on stage with the former Tory cabinet ministers Kenneth Clarke and Michael Heseltine as well as Charles Kennedy, the Liberal Democrat leader. Backed by some of Britain's most powerful businessmen, including Lord Marshall, the BA chairman, and Niall Fitzgerald, chairman of Unilever, it was billed as a non-party group that would win over the "hearts and minds" of eurosceptics. It was supposed to draw its funding from a range of supporters, but unaudited accounts seen by The Sunday Times show that Sainsbury has so far given or pledged at least £1.2m in three instalments. Sources close to the group say that Sainsbury, former chairman of the supermarket chain, has promised to raise his contribution to £2m in the run-up to a referendum with more possible if the poll is delayed past 2003. (The Sunday Times December 15, 2002)
When the Global Britain team commissioned independent research from Minotaur proving BBC bias on the EU, the former Today programme editor Rod Liddle said to a BBC internal meeting on politics that this really did need to be taken into account and needed addressing. Anne Sloman, responsible for political balance at the BBC, was at the meeting and she practically shouted that: "No, it was BBC policy to portray all those who want to leave the EU as mad and that was that". (Eurocritical9/11/02)
The Malta-EU Information Centre were found guilty of not representing what the 'yes' and 'no' EU fronts have to say, the courts of justice said. The state-funded Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) was found guilty of breaching the constitution when they refused to follow a ruling given by the Broadcasting Authority to air information spots produced by the Malta Labour Party about the European Union partnership policy. The Malta Labour Party, currently in opposition, disagrees with the government's policy of full EU membership. (Euobserver.com 06.09.2002 )
Arthur Anderson (Enron auditors) is also one of the largest contributors to "Britain in Europe". (Various press comment 5/8/02)
EU Commissioner Chris Patten this week described the British public's opposition to the euro as "shameful", and Romano Prodi accused Britain of being "afraid" of joining the euro. ("N0" Bulletin 2/5/02)
WHEN Neil Kinnock, the vice-president of the European Commission, recently paid a visit to Tyne and Wear to inspect the "18.5 kilometre" extension of the local Metro to Sunderland, the train was painted with the EU's ring of stars and there was lavish local publicity for his boast that this scheme could not have been completed without the EU's contribution of £14.75 million. "I am very proud about the fact that the European Union was heavily involved." said Mr Kinnock. "The European Commission is strongly committed to increasing the provision of affordable public transport." It took that prominent Sunderland citizen Neil Herron, leader of the Metric Martyrs defence fund, to point out that the EU's contribution was only a small part of the £98 million that the scheme had cost, and that even to get back that £14.75 million from the EU, British taxpayers had to hand over £29.5 million to Brussels in the first place. (Sunday Telegraph 28 April 2002: Christopher Booker)
THE European Union - annual cost to the British taxpayer: £25 billion - employs 23,000 civil servants at the European Commission. But what do all these pen-pushers actually do? It can be recalled that, inter alia, the Eurocrats devote a sizeable chunk of their time to blackguarding the views of British Euro-sceptics. The UK Independence Party's internet discussion forum, at www.independenceuk.org.uk, presently includes a bevy of colourful postings abusing the UKIP. A typical one asks party members: "Do you get jackboots with your uniforms?" Amazingly, Peterborough has traced all these postings to an EC office address: the Commission of the European Communities, Batiment Jean Monnet, Plateau de Kirchberg, Luxembourg. Nigel Farage, one of the UKIP's three MEPs, says: "This is clearly a concerted attempt by the EC to suppress our arguments and shut us up. They must be worried." (Daily Telegraph Peterborough 03 Apr 2002)
The Government is planning to use a series of secret propaganda stunts to persuade the public to support the euro, according to documents leaked to the Mail on Sunday (30 December). Minutes from private meetings of the Government's "Euro Preparations Information and Phasing Group" showed that the Government hopes to force school children to learn about the euro in the National Curriculum. The Government also wants to use popular television programmes like Big Brother and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? to promote the euro. The documents also reveal that the Government is keen not to be associated with the propaganda, so that it does not seem to be endorsed by them. According to one of the members of the group, "The discussions are about when we are going to join the euro, not if. We hear how other countries have introduced the euro and then discuss whether we could use the same methods in Britain. Some are common sense but others are dubious spin and propaganda" (Mail on Sunday, 30 December 2002).
A new leaflet aimed at our children has just been published by the The European Union Public Diplomacy Section of the Foreign Office. The leaflet is called: "The E.U.: What's In It For You". It is being distributed free to all schoolchildren. The section headed: "The E.U. is also good for the U.K. as a whole" says: "For example: 1. Membership of the European Union underpins jobs, our future prosperity, and our national security. (Demonstrably untue on all three counts) 2. The single market allows our companies to operate in a market of over 370 million people (But they sell us more than we sell them, by far) 3. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created by investment from companies that see Britain as the best gateway into the single market (Not true - ask the dozens of other overseas firms coming to the UK - even German and French companies are moving here) 4. The E.U. has helped make Britain safer now than at any time in our history (What happened to NATO?) 5. The E.U. has opened up new opportunities for ordinary people to live, work, study and retire abroad (Which they could always do, if they wished) And membership of the E.U. has strengthened the U.K.'s voice on the world stage. (E-mail from Tanner Management 19/12/01)
The Belgian EU Presidency has paid advertisements in 33 European newspapers with the intention to promote the Laeken Declaration and to kick off the debate on the future of Europe. The advert presents the 59 questions mentioned in the Laeken Declaration to be discussed among citizens. (EUobserver.com 19.12.2001)
In Ireland, major reforms in the operation of the Referendum Commission have been recommended by the All-Party Parliamentary Committee on the Constitution. The recommendations by the committee, if looking back to the last Nice poll in June, would have changed the balance of publicity spending from 50-50 to around 70-30 in favour of the 'Yes' campaign. (EUobserver.com 23/11/01). Funding will be changed from equal shares for campaigning groups to allocations to political parties. (EUobserver.com 13/12/01)
Europe Minister Peter Hain this week officially launched the second year of a pro-euro initiative on behalf of the Institute for Citizenship aimed at creating a European Citizenship among young people. The initiative, called "Speak Out! On European Citizenship", is funded by the Foreign Office and the European Commission. It is also supported by Cable and Wireless, WH Smith, Adamson BSMG Worldwide, Bass, The Department of Education and Skills, the European Parliament and the Levi Strauss Foundation. Part of the initiative includes a special teachers' guide, produced by the Institute for Citizenship. The guide focuses almost exclusively on the supposed economic benefits of the euro . ("No" Bulletin 1/11/01)
Ken Jackson's pro-euro AEEU union admits to receiving money from the European Commission. In their publication The European Union, A guide for AEEU members, the AEEU admit that their regular European bulletins are funded by the European Commission. The bulletins have consistently publicised the work of Britain in Europe and they carry regular pro-euro articles. The AEEU is also a major donor to the Britain in Europe campaign and printed a recent BiE publication devoted to arguing that "Heath didn't lie" in the 70's. ("No" Bulletin 1/11/01)
In the BBC Radio 4 drama series the "Chocolate Lovers' Club" grammes were pointedly mentioned eight times in the space of a few minutes, saying how much more sensible 450 grammes were than 15 oz. (Actually there are 425 g to 15 oz - Ed). In this fifteen minute programme came a rant by the actors on how superior metric was over Imperial. Listeners' reaction on hearing the content of this highly contrived dialogue was that it could only be a propaganda programme, inspired and sponsored by apparatchniks in Brussels, on the lines of the infamous "Strawberry Ice Cream Wars", aimed at children. (Letter to BBC by Bill Woodhouse, Dorset 11/10/01)
Jack Straw told an Observer journalist that the Government plans to send "information" leaflets on the euro to every household in Britain before the end of the year. The leaflets are another example of the Government using taxpayers money to sell the euro. So far the Government admits to spending around £60 million on euro preparations. The real figure is likely to be far higher. Even pro-euro Labour MP Martin O'Neill has said that it is time to "stop treating the public like children" and admit how much has been spent. ("No" campaign bulletin 11/10/01)
Jo Moore, who works for Stephen Byers, the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, was widely condemned for a memo, written at 2.55pm on September 11, when millions of people were transfixed by the terrible television images of the terrorist attack, said: "It is now a very good day to get out anything we want to bury. Councillors expenses?" The announcement was issued that next day. The situation is particularly difficult for Mr Byers because he faces legal action in the courts from the board of Railtrack and its shareholders over his decision to put the company into administration. The Railtrack announcement was made at the weekend, just before the start of the military action against Afghanistan. There has been speculation that the timing of that might have been arranged to minimise bad publicity. (Daily Telegraph 10/10/2001)
Blair will use the introduction of notes and coins in January 2002 to escape the Catch 22. There will be huge media coverage, advertising from the European Commission and European Central Bank (in Britain too), and the changeover exercise gives the British Government a pretext for a taxpayer funded "information campaign". Blair hopes and believes that this will combine with holidaymakers using the euro and Conservative Party incompetence to shift opinion significantly and give him a window of opportunity for a referendum in autumn 2002 / spring 2003. ("No bulletin 13/9/01)
There are currently 528 Jean Monnet professors - of which 486 are in the EU, 39 in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, and three are Chairs awarded on a special basis in Canada, the United States and Switzerland - according to the Belgium EU Presidency website. The Jean Monnet Project on 'European Integration in University Studies' is a European Commission project whose aim is to facilitate the introduction of European integration studies in universities by means of start-up subsidies. Since 1989, the Jean Monnet Project has enabled the member states to set up 2,319 new university teaching projects. The network of professors serves as a breeding ground of expertise on Community affairs that is highly appreciated by the Commission, according to the Belgium Presidency. (EUobserver.com 14.08.2001)
Some of the reporters credited to European institutions are lobbyists in disguise. To correct this, a cross-party group of MEPs has agreed that journalists should also declare their interests on a register which will be open to officials and the public through a website. Registration would be voluntary and intention is not to restrict media access to Parliament to separate the journalistic goats from lobbyist sheep. (Telegraph 2-6-01)
The British government is to use women's magazines and daytime television programmes to target female voters over Europe and the euro amid alarm that the election has confirmed women disengagement from politics. As polls show that women are significantly more sceptical about the euro than men, Patricia Hewitt is concerned that female voters - particularly those under 30 - are so turned off by the current style of political debate that they are turning away from national issues altogether. This reflects government concern that women will need more persuasion than men to vote in favour of the single currency. While 56% of men opposed entry, 61% women do so. (Irish Times 15/6/01)
What are the advantages of joining the EU? What are the best interests for farmers? These issues will be explained by a brochure that was sent last week to all Polish catholic churches. The brochure is financed by the European Commission in accordance with the Office of the Committee for European Integration, a governmental institution. The brochure "The Polish country in the face of European integration" consists of 32 colourful pages. One of the most important topics is "how much money will flow to Polish agriculture after joining the EU and what are the main differences between EU and Polish agriculture?" There are some Catholic Church authorities among the authors of the brochure - bishop Tadeusz Pieronek and archbishop Tadeusz Goclowski are both well known for their EU-enthusiasm. The brochure is considered as a promotional tool to the farmers who, according to the latest polls, are in majority against the integration into the EU. The Polish Catholic Church is strongly divided on that question. According to catholic newspaper "Nasz Dziennik" the Polish episcopate was warned by Austrian bishop Kurt Krenn against joining the EU. The EU does not respect the will of weaker countries, is neither democratic nor Christian. Decisions are taken there by the strongest. (EUobserver.com 01.06.2001)
Representatives of the newsletters Insikt, edited by Centernej till EU (Center Party EU critics) and Sverige ut ur EU (Sweden out of EU) were refused accreditation as press representatives and thus refused access to the media center during the Göteborg Summit, according to Swedish paper Svenska Dagbladet. (EUobserver.com 27/6/01)
The Young European Movement's August 2000 newsletter had the following snippet on page 2:- "Cardiff Cancelled - Due to late payment of Commission funding, the Cardiff Seminar unfortunately had to be cancelled. YEM remains committed to institutional reform of the EU." Also, the YEM campaign material "Join the campaign to join the euro" says on the back "Supported by the Far From Brussels programme of the European Commission." So much for the claims: 1. The EM isn't funded by the Commission; 2. The Commission doesn't get involved in campaigning. (Eurofaq posting IF 23/4/01)
The (Irish) Green MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, has threatened legal action against the European Commission, accusing it of "illegal and improper interference" in the Nice Treaty referendum. A spokesman for Ireland's EU Commissioner, Mr David Byrne, accused Ms McKenna of attempting to silence free speech. "This looks like a naked attempt to muzzle freedom of expression. Mr Byrne as an Irish citizen is perfectly entitled to express his views in relation to the Nice Treaty or indeed any other matter," the spokesman said. A solicitor's letter sent on Ms McKenna's behalf to the Commission's Secretary-General, Mr David O'Sullivan, said the Commission was not authorised to promote the treaty in any way. " `Promotion' includes the expenditure of European monies on promotional material . . . the diversion of salaried Commission staff from their duties to participate in events endorsing an EU treaty and debates confirming such a treaty before it is ratified and the endorsement and promotion of treaties by salaried commissioners even in circumstances where the Commissioner in question is an Irish citizen," the letter says. Ms McKenna denied she wanted to limit freedom of expression and complained that Commission representatives in Dublin were playing an active role in the campaign for a Yes vote. She recalled that she faced similar accusations when she challenged the Government's right to use public money to promote one side in a referendum campaign. "Paid officials from the Commission are appearing on radio programmes campaigning for the Nice Treaty. That's wrong, and I believe that Irish and EU law say it is wrong," she said. The Commission has passed the letter to its legal advisers, but it is unlikely to heed Ms McKenna's warning until it receives firm legal advice to do so. (Irish Times 18/5/01)
According to The Times, confidential accounts show that the European Movement was receiving taxpayers’ money via the European Commission until the beginning of this year. European Movement has so far denied getting money this way. (EUobserver.com 8/5/01)
At Nice last December, the European Council called for a deeper and wider debate about the future of the European Union. The Commission is today tabling various ideas to help make this debate a success. It suggests that the Member States and the European Institutions should start discussing how the details of this debate should be organised, with a view to the European Council to be held in Gothenburg on 15 and 16 June this year. These open exchanges about the future of the Union will run alongside the preparations for the next round of reforms of the European Institutions as envisaged in the Nice Declaration. The Commission believes that these discussions should actively involve political leaders in the Member States, national and European members of parliament, the European Commissioners, and the members of the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, as well as private-sector and academic opinion-leaders and civil society and its representatives. The Commission also intends to encourage these discussions by working with governmental and non-governmental organisations to stimulate meetings and exchanges among ordinary citizens in the different Member States, their political leaders, representatives of civil society, and the academic world. The Commission plans to spend EUR 9.5 million on these activities between 2001 and 2004. (Brussels, 25 April 2001 http://europa.eu.int)
Only a third of British voters realise that unemployment in the Eurozone is higher than it is in Britain. Only a quarter of the public realises that British taxes are lower than the Eurozone's. (This is because the most visible taxes - alcohol and cigarettes - are higher here). Labour does not want people to know the truth because it would undermine their pro-euro arguments. ("No" bulletin 26/4/01)
The Brussels-funded Britain in Europe campaign face court action under the European Convention of Human Rights legislation brought by a disgruntled former campaign manager who accuses BiE of incompetence. Mark Littlewood, former campaign manager for the Brussels-funded European Movement / Britain in Europe campaign, has been expelled from the European Movement for "bringing the campaign into disrepute". Mr Littlewood, a talented advocate of the pro-euro cause, has had a long-running battle with BiE Campaign Director Simon Buckby and Chairman Colin Marshall. Sources inside BiE say that Buckby has been infuriated by Littlewood's stinging criticisms of BiE's strategy and basic competence, and that he has forced the BiE / EM Boards to expel Littlewood, despite the latter having been elected to the EM Board by EM members in a nation-wide ballot. ("No" bulletin 26/4/01)
Michael Heseltine, one of the key leaders of the euro lobby, has said that the British people should not have the opportunity to vote on the euro in a referendum. Interviewed in the May 2001 issue of London Business Review, he said; 'I think the decision to have a referendum - I played a crucial role in this - was the worst political decision I ever made. (BUSINESS for STERLING Briefing 6 - 12th April 2001)
BRUSSELS bureaucrats are offering grants to British students to write research papers about the positive aspects of the European Union. The scheme, involving millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money, was condemned yesterday as a blatant attempt at bribery. Subsidies totalling a million euros a year, or £650,000, will be ploughed into projects that promote knowledge and awareness of European integration. A European Community policy document said: "The main objective of these subsidies is to reinforce European citizenship and the active participation of citizens in the process of European integration." Projects will qualify for up to £31,000 each and students in any member state, or applicant state, are eligible to apply.Priority will be given to projects concerning enlargement, the euro, the future of the EU, the Nice Treaty, reform of European institutions and European governance, the document said. (The Times 17/4/01)
Chancellor confirms £9 million expenditure on euro propaganda. During Treasury Questions on Thursday 29 March, Gordon Brown admitted that the Government has spent £9 million on euro "information" campaigns directed at business throughout this Parliament. He also said that the Government has spent £24 million in this Parliament on preparations for the euro to replace the pound. 72 per cent of the public are opposed to such expenditure before a referendum has taken place. 'No' estimates that the Government has in fact spent over £40 million on euro propaganda and information. ("No" bulletin 5/4/01)
"The Association for the Monetary Union of Europe (AMUE) was founded in 1987 by European business leaders who agreed on the objectives of a common currency and monetary stability for the success of the Single Market." Its objectives include: "facilitating access to EMU for late-comers, be it from the European Union or future member states from Eastern or Central Europe. The British, Danish and Swedish populations are still to be persuaded that their countries should participate in the EMU. Membership fees for AMUE Founding members: Pay 25,000 Euros in first year then same as active members (www.amue.com)
The European Court of Justice on Thursday upheld the view, that Sweden's ban on alcohol advertising was an obstacle to the free movement of services within the EU and contravened the EU's founding treaty. According to the Financial Times, this judgement will have wide-ranging implications for the creation of an EU single market in services. The case was brought by Gourmet magazine against Swedish legislation that bans the advertising of spirits, wine and strong beer in the press. Mike Pullen, partner at DLA law firm in Brussels, said to the Financial Times, "this is an important clarification of EU law. This now means that other restrictions put in place by other countries are all open to challenge." The Commission said the judgement was important because it recognised advertising as a service. It is also a weapon in Brussels' fight against national obstacles to the free movement of services, such as the Greek ban on toy advertising to children on television between certain hours and French restrictions on TV advertising of alcohol. Sweden restricts alcohol advertising on public health grounds. However, according to the Financial Times, the court suggested that Stockholm could achieve this aim with much less restrictive measures and called on a Swedish court to decide whether the ban was in proportion to its desired goal. (EUobserver.com 9/3/01)
ROBIN PAGE, presenter of One Man And His Dog for six years, accused the BBC of political censorship yesterday after he was sacked. The BBC said that it wanted a change to keep the programme "fresh and contemporary". Mr Page said that he had been ousted because he criticised changes and did not toe the BBC's "politically correct" line on the countryside. In a telephone conversation with Nick Vaughan-Barratt, the creative director of BBC Events, who rang to inform him of the decision, Mr Page said he was told that the BBC disapproved of his attitude to the programme and his "other activities". Robin Page is vice-chairman of the Democracy Movement campaigning for Britain to leave the EU and an Honorary Member of the British Weights & Measures Association. (Sunday Telegraph 11/3/01)
NEW laws intended to control party political donations are threatening to have a calamitous impact on charities and pressure groups. Companies that give money to charitable organisations face deepening uncertainty over the effect of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act, which became law last month. They now are required to obtain shareholder approval for donations of more than £5,000 if the recipient "carries on, or proposes to carry on, activities which are capable of being reasonably regarded as intended to influence voters". But there is concern that such a wide definition could apply to many charities, from Help the Aged to the RSPB, whose activities could be construed as "political". The £5,000 threshold also refers to cumulative, rather than single, donations - so even small sums would need to be approved. Among recipients, policy "think tanks" - such as the Right-leaning Institute for Economic Affairs and the Blairite Institute for Public Policy Research - are especially vulnerable. A legal opinion obtained by three big corporations suggested that details of their proposed charitable giving will have to be put to shareholders in advance. If approval is not obtained, directors risk heavy fines. John Blundell, the director of the IEA, said about 20 per cent of the institute's funds came from business. "The principal aim of this legislation was to remove funds from opponents of the euro but they have inadvertently swept up everyone who may do or say anything that might influence a voter." (Telegraph 9 March 2001)
Somerset county council is offering £48,000 a year for the job of director for its new "high-profile representational and contact point in Brussels". (Booker notebook Sunday Telegraph 4/3/01)
Chris Heaton-Harris MEP, Conservative Spokesman on Budgetary Control, found that PromEuro has received Euros 117,700 (c. £75,000) since 1996 to run campaigns such as "No Fear for the Euro" for elderly persons and "Questions & Answers" a book for teenagers. PromEuro has 77 member in the whole of the EU, with just 5 being from the UK. When questioned on the funding criteria for pro-Euro campaign groups, the Commission confirmed that "…the membership of a given organisation has never been a precondition for its participation to calls for proposals: no thresholds were ever set". But it also said that the Luxembourg-based organisation "has been very committed in promoting the new currency". (Press release by C Heaton-Harris MEP 21/2/01)
Pro-European propaganda comes under "information" in various budgets: As we all know the European Movement in the UK claims to be independent and not funded by the EU, but will receive 9,000,000 Euro in 2001 from two different budget lines. "Furthermore, there are a network of "European Houses" across the continent, which will receive a large chunks of European taxpayers' money. Oddly enough the three European Houses in the UK all happen to be private addresses and claim to receive no money from Europe at all!" "A huge sum of 3,099,000 Euro is spent on the Budget lines "Grants to Organisations Advancing the Idea of Europe" and "International Non-Governmental Youth Organisations"........hidden amongst the 130 strong list are such gems as "Yes for Europe" and "Young European Federalists". (Chris Heaton-Harris MEP, CAEF Research 19/2/01)
"The European Movement receives financial support from budget line B3-301 of the EC budget. It is within the remit of the Commission to decide the criteria for the targeting such funds." Lord McIntosh of Haringey - Spokesman for the government Department for International Development in the House of Lords, Hansard Written Answers, House of Lords, 29th October 2000
THE Government has urged Joschka Fischer, the German Foreign Minister, not to use a visit to London tomorrow to make a provocative speech in favour of a federal Europe, which could harm Labour's election prospects. Senior officials have told their Berlin counterparts that such a speech by Europe's most prominent federalist could cause a Eurosceptic backlash. It could undermine Tony Blair's efforts to prevent Europe, particularly the euro, from becoming an election issue. A German Foreign Office spokesman said that Downing Street's concerns had been taken on board and that Mr Fischer, one of the most passionate believers in European integration, was aware of the sensitivity of the debate in Britain. However, he insisted that Mr Fischer would want to give Britons some idea of what he believes - and why - when he addresses the German British Forum at Claridges Hotel, London, tomorrow evening. Labour sources confirmed that approaches had been made to Mr Fischer's officials, stressing that remarks which might seem acceptable in Germany could provoke lurid headlines in Eurosceptic newspapers here. (Electronic Telegraph 23/1/01)
GERMANY, ploughing ahead with plans to strip EU members of sovereign decision-making, will throw its weight behind federalist plans at the Strasbourg summit with France in a week’s time. Berlin is expressing confidence and flexing new-found muscle as its economy perks up and the status of its post-war relationship with France is redefined. Its new drive for a Europe governed from Brussels shows scant regard for Britain and other countries that continue to voice fears of national sovereignty being subsumed beneath a rising tide of Eurocracy. The chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, a year away from a general election, knows that the eyes are off the ball in both Britain and France, where national concerns are on domestic polling this year. Until now he had left most of the European-sculpting to his foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, but at a weekend think-tank in Berlin the chancellor outlined his vision for a Europe where decisions on tax, defence, health, insurance and a plethora of other issues were defined by the EU and not national governments. One German newspaper said his comments would "send a shudder through London and Paris". (The Scotsman 23/1/01)
Taxpayers are funding a massive propaganda exercise encouraging businesses to sign up to the euro. Millions of pounds have been spent on Treasury letters which give glowing case studies of how companies have gained by being able to trade in the new currency. But not one example is given of firms which want to keep the pound and which oppose the euro. The Euro Preparations Unit at the Treasury, which sent out the letters to businesses, is costing the taxpayer £27 million to fund. (Mail on Sunday 21/1/01)
The Copenhagen appeal court ruled Thursday that Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen should appear in court to answer allegations that he used state organs to win a 'yes' vote in a referendum on the 1998 EU Treaty of Amsterdam. The anti-European Union Movement and five ordinary citizens lodged the complaint against the premier. They maintain Rasmussen asked senior civil servants to set up a special cell to respond to any negative EU criticism in the media ahead of the referendum. They alleged the government used the state apparatus to advocate a 'yes' vote, and that in so doing failed in its duty to make available adequate and correct information to the public during the referendum campaign. Danish voters approved the treaty -- enlarging the EU and strengthening its institutions -- in the referendum. (COPENHAGEN, Sept 14, 2000 AFP)
The Swedes, who have had a ban in place for 10 years, are inviting government and industry representatives from all member states to Stockholm next month to discuss plans to make it illegal for advertisers to target children under 12. The proposals would bring an end to children's favourite television characters being used to promote products, and all commercials for toys and sweets would be banned during children's programming. Sweden intends to put a formal proposal to the Council of Ministers when European legislation governing television advertising is reviewed next year. (Telegraph 10/1/01)
In his letter to the Telegraph in reply to an article by Boris Johnson, Keith Vaz, Minister for Europe, wrote " Boris says Brussels is planning a list of "approved" political parties, banishing any guilty of Euro-scepticism. Rubbish. There is no such scheme." In a follow-up letter Richard Buttery wrote: " Is Keith Vaz being deliberately economical with the truth (Letters, January 5), or does he not read his own briefs? There is indeed an EU scheme to regulate political parties. Article 191 from the provisional text of the Nice Treaty, dated December 12, says: "The council, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in article 251, shall lay down the regulations governing political parties at a European level . . ." It seems a logical consequence that, if the EU lays down the rules for recognising political parties, then it will by definition be approving of parties that meet those rules." (Daily Telegraph 6/1/01)
The Mail has obtained a copy of the report on a detailed independent assessment of BBC Radio 4's Today programme treatment of European issues over nine weeks. . It shows that over this period, during which a number of important European issues were covered in the media, pro-Europeans outnumbered Eurosceptics by 2.5 to 1 on Today. This revelation of documented bias on the part of the BBC's flagship radio news programme is particularly revealing because it comes at a time when the Government is accusing the so-called Eurosceptic press of distorted coverage. (Daily Mail 7.12.00)
This is how the BBC introduces a UKIP MEP on the Question Time website: "Nigel Farage, MEP, UK Independence Party One of three UKIP members to be elected in the 1999 Euro-elections, Nigel Farage was elected for the South East region where his party secured 9.7% of the vote. Before taking his seat in the European Parliament he promised UKIP members he would "vote against every motion", but his involvement has been rather more selective. He sits with the 16-strong Europe of Democracies and Diversities group (EDD), and is a member of the Committees on Economic and Monetary Affairs, and on Fisheries. A founder member of UKIP (which began in September 1993) he serves on its executive. He was accused of having links with far-right groups after being photographed with Mark Deavin, a senior British National Party (BNP) member. (Eurofaq posting 24/11/00)
Business for Sterling has warned that it will mount a legal challenge under the new Human Rights Act to proposed new referendum laws if they passed in their current form, on the grounds that they unfairly restrict free speech. The move follows the Government's refusal on 22 November to amend provisions in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill which control spending by campaign groups. As drafted the Bill would allow the 'yes' side in a euro referendum to spend about £4 million more than the 'no' side. The Bill also imposes spending limits on campaign groups for up to six months before a referendum poll, while the Government is free to campaign and spend as it likes until only 28 days beforehand. The Government has also rejected a cross-party amendment which would have ensured that any government literature distributed free to the public in the referendum period was impartial. Despite the objections of the Neill Committee, the Government claims that it has a "right" to promote its view before a referendum. The Treasury has already spent more than £15 million on euro 'information', including a major TV advertising campaign. This compares with the £13 million a year recently announced for extra flood protection. The Government is blatantly fixing the referendum rules so that it can spend what it likes on euro propaganda, while controlling spending by campaign groups and giving a huge advantage to the 'yes' side. (Business for Sterling 24/11/00)
"The European Court of Justice has reacted vehemently to an item in my last Eurofile, dated October 28th, in which I stated that the advocate general of the ECJ had argued that criticism of the European Union could be restricted, without violating freedom of speech, on the grounds that it was akin to blasphemy. The court told the House of Commons library, the European media, and other callers that the assertion was totally untrue. But it failed to post the advocate general's opinion on the court's web site according to normal practice. Instead it referred callers to a separate case - which was posted on the website, and which did not contain references to blasphemy - throwing everybody off the scent. Two weeks later, under protest, the court posted the "mislaid" opinion on the website and apologised for a misunderstanding. The court now admits that the blasphemy argument was invoked, but says that the Daily Telegraph misconstrued the advocate general's words. Since this case threatens a key principle of English law - that a governing body cannot restrict political criticism to protect its own reputation - I would suggest that readers consult the original document and make their own judgement. Unfortunately, the text is available only in Spanish and French. The correct case number is C-274/99P, at http://curia.eu.int/en/jurisp://curia/index.htm." (" 11 November 2000 Daily Telegraph 'Eurofile' article By A. Evans-Pritchard)
Local Government International Bureau state in their annual report dated 31 March 1999: Total expenditure in that year was £1,553,337; total income £1,603,228. The aims of the LGIB include: 3 (D) "To develop the European spirit amongst local and regional communities and authorities with a view to promoting European unity founded upon the autonomy of those communities". 3 (E) "To provide for the participation and representation of local and regional communities and authorities in the European and international institutions". 3 (F) "To achieve the establishment amongst the existing and future European institutions of an Assembly representing local and regional communities and authorities". 3 (H) "To help establish a direct consultative relationship between local and regional authorities and the European Community Institutions and to organise UK participation in the Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe and other similar bodies". (UKIP East posting 14/11/00)
It has been revealed that the Royal Mail has spent a six-figure sum on a pro-euro campaign. The Post Office paid for the distribution of over 170,000 brochures to British businesses, explaining the benefits of the single currency. The Post Office claims to have a policy of neutrality on the issue, yet the brochure contained no section on the disadvantages of joining the euro (Times, 16 November 2000)
My vision of Europe' competition - Children from eight schools across the UK came to Whitehall for a Foreign and Commonwealth Office / Time Education co-sponsored event on Monday 30 October when Cherie Booth QC, Big Brother's Craig Philips, and Olympic Gold medallist James Cracknell, awarded prizes in a ‘My Vision of Europe’ Internet art competition. Two hundred 5-10 year olds were invited to attend the awards ceremony between 4pm and 6pm, with the results announced live. Press/TV and radio reporters and crews were invited to the awards ceremony, which took place in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. (FCO web site 9/11/00)
Correction BBC Today Programme: On January 31, 2000, the Today programme carried a report from the BBC's Europe Correspondent, Angus Roxburgh. In it, he inadvertently misrepresented the views of Sir Winston Churchill. He quoted from a speech by Churchill which implied that Churchill supported British membership of a federal European state - whereas, in fact, Churchill was opposed to British membership, as he made clear later in the speech. Today would like to make it clear that henceforth, archive actuality will only be used within the proper context and all uses of such actuality will be cleared first with the editor or one of his deputies. " (BBC Today web site)
The European Central Bank is to spend £48m on a campaign to prepare citizens for the transition to euro notes and coins at the start of 2002. It will not extend to Britain. (Daily Telegraph 3/11/00)
Geoffrey Martin,the Commission's gauleiter in London, wrote to the Daily Mail on 9/10/00. He said "no funds were spent by the Commission in Denmark for the purpose of campaigning in favour of entry to the single currency". BUT the Commission funds the European Movement in each country through a share of budget line B3-301 "Information Outlets", to the tune of up to Euros10,820,000. (say £6.2m) . The European Movement acted as the core to the Danish "YES" campaign. (Eurofaq posting 25/10/00)
Young people have spoken out against a new 'information campaign' on the EU launched today by the Institute for Citizenship for issue to schools, damning it as 'one-sided' and 'arrogant'. The campaign is partially funded by the European Union. The key document - 'Speak out! On European Citizenship' is intended for citizenship education in schools, and claims its intention is to stimulate debate. However from the start the document propagandises, saying 'EU citizenship increases your rights as a citizen', and asking 'Have you noticed how many people are moving within the European Union enjoying the benefits of free movement?' John Courouble, 22, National Director of Youth For a Free Europe, has demanded that a Euro-critical organisation be allowed equivalent government support to mail the other side of the case to schools. Speaking before the launch, he said, 'It is utterly immoral that taxpayers' money should be used on this sort of indoctrination of schoolchildren. How can a fifty-page document on European citizenship fail to address crucial issues such as that the people were never asked whether they wanted to become European citizens in the first place? (Youth for a Free Europe press release 24/10/00). Sir Stephen Wall Says: "The EU is only in the GCSE history curriculum thanks to Foreign Office pressure on the Department for Education" The memo states that "there is a lot more that could be done" adding that it is something he plans "to pursue in a future incarnation". Sir Stephen now heads the EU secretariat in the Cabinet Office. The revelation came as schools minister Jacqui Smith launched the Speak Out! On European Citizenship education pack in london. PM Tony Blair has written the foreword, in which he says Speak Out! will allow pupils "to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by EU citizenship". (Morning Star 25/10/11)
THE attack by Keith Vaz, the minister for Europe, on the "anti-European press" serves as an excellent reminder of why this newspaper, and others, must maintain relentless, questioning vigilance on all matters relating to the EU. Mr Vaz strove mightily to conflate opposition to the euro and the policies of the EU with "xenophobia" ,and "anti-Europeanism". Anyone opposed to any deal, with any foreigner, now risks such an accusation. (The Daily Telegraph 2/9/2000)
A significant acceleration of Labour's campaign in favour of the euro, which will see ministers arguing unequivocally in favour of the benefits of membership of the single currency, has been proposed in an internal party document seen by the Guardian. In a move which shows that Labour is spoiling for an election battle with the Tories on the issue, the prime minister has given his blessing to an internal party document which lavishes praise on the euro. (The Guardian Wednesday 30th August 2000)
The London office (of the European Movement) is compiling its Excalibur data base of anti-European activity throughout the country. Every news item and every letter, no matter how obscure or nonsensical adds to our store. Send them in to the office, and mark each one with the date and the source so that we can refer back to it later. (April 2000 copy of Euromove)
In his letter to the Financial Times Robert Coppinger, Regional Organiser West Midlands, refutes claims that Britain in Europe was in chaos before Simon Buckby became director. He said that prior to Mr Buckby's entry they had run a very successful pro-euro campaign. Then Tony Blair joined in secret. It was tragic that some BiE Board members believed that Mr Blair would bend government policy. Now BiE has to repeatedly and embarrassingly change the campaign aims. Mr Buckby's campaign has been hammered because of the fiasco it has become. This strategic fudge has poisoned the entire effort. (FT 28/8/00)
VACANCY for CEO for European Media Development Agency (EMDA) @£70,000 pa Based in London. EMDA *provides assistance to the EU's Media II programme in the area of project and company development in film, documentary, animation and multi-media* This company does nothing else but work for the EU. It is therefore a TAO (Technical Assistance Organisation) (Advert in Guardian 12/6/00) For information on TAOs see "Blowing the Whistle" by Paul van Buitenen - Ed
In the letter in The Times of 23/8/00, Mr Geoffrey Martin, the leader of the Commission of the European Community in London, denied that the EU gives money to the European Movement. However, the European Movement's own web site says, "From time to time, it (the EM) receives small grants from the European Commission for specific information projects". (Eurofaq posting 25/8/00)
Top crime writer PD James launched a blistering attack on the BBC - accusing it of peddling pro-euro propaganda. The respected Tory peer - a former beeb governor - said news bulletins ignored the impact joining up would have on Britain's right to govern itself. Baroness James - a BBC governor from 1988 to 1993 - said she was "sure" the corporation was pro-Europe and added "I feel quite strongly about this because nowhere have we been given the facts on both sides." She accused the BBC of swallowing the Government line that joining the euro was purely an economic decision. "What I find depressing is that over and over again the argument is this: We will go in when it is economically right. But I want to know what it's going to do for our institutions, our system of law, our welfare, our pensions. "What's it going to do for the power of Parliament - for the UK as a separate kingdom? I'm against being drawn into a United States of Europe." She also told The Spectator magazine that director general Greg Dyke's donation to Labour had not helped the impression of bias. (24/8/00)
It was revealed this week that the Foreign Office had financed a trip to Denmark by the director of Britain in Europe, the British pro-euro lobby, in July. Simon Buckby was accompanied on his visit by staff by the British embassy in Copenhagen and distributed pro-euro propaganda. But Robin Cook, the Foreign Secretary, has criticised some opponents of euro entry for involvement with the "no" campaign in the Danish euro referendum. (BfS Briefing 17/8/00)
In a memo leaked to The Times last month, Philip Gould, the Prime Minister's personal pollster, warned Mr Blair that Labour risked coming across to voters as extreme unless it got its tactics right over the euro. He said that for the Tories, the issue of Europe was a "life preserver", making them "relevant and more electable". The memo said that if Labour tried to marginalise the Tories by attacking them as extreme, the strategy would backfire. "More voters at this point are inclined to believe the opposite charge - that Labour is extreme, determined to abandon the pound and create a European superstate." (The Times 18/8/00)
The BBC has apologised for a feature on the programme The World This Weekend on Sunday 30 July. The piece took the form of a mock memo to the Prime Minister about how to persuade the Britain to "love the euro". It included a member of an opinion polling company and several members of the pro-euro lobby. On the following programme, the presenter James Cox apologised for the report: "[the feature] received a good deal of critical, even hostile attention from some listeners, who felt that it was propaganda on behalf of the single currency. I emphasise that it was intended to have a more satirical purpose connected to the Prime Minister's apparent equivocation on the subject. However this aim was evidently misunderstood, and in those terms the piece did not work, for which I and the programme producers are sorry." (BBC Sunday 6 July, 2000)
Tony Blair was delighted to learn last year that one of his favourite industrialists, the Chairman of British Airways Lord Marshall, had agreed to chair a new cross party pro-single currency grouping to be called "Britain in Europe" (BIE). Pro-euro captains of industry have dug deep, with British American Tobacco donating some £25,000 to BIE. With public opinion distinctly hostile towards the single currency, Lord Marshall was determined to hire a high profile, experienced director to front BIE. From the outset however, it was clear that Peter Mandelson's preferred candidate, Financial Times journalist and "new" Labour insider Simon Buckby, would be given the job. One committment Marshall sought from Buckby was that he would not seek selection as a Labour parliamentary candidate. Buckby is believed to earn well in excess of £70,000 a year and commands an expense account. Staff meetings at BIE are getting smaller and smaller. Lord Sharman recently stood down as treasurer and is not the only senior peer to have jumped ship. Former Labour party fundraiser Paul Cottingham has escaped, as has another former Labour insider Matthew Laza. Few organisations can boast trouble-free staff relations, and many have imperious bosses who on occasions swing the lead. Yet much of the bile seeping from BIE would not matter if the pro-single currency campaign had begun to turn the corner, and if the cash for Buckby's salary was rolling in. In fact, with each BIE re-launch, public hostility to the single currency hits record levels. So BIE has made zero impact. More seriously, a recent board minute shows that BIE is running an annual deficit of some £120,000. (11/8/00 Private Eye)
BRITAIN'S main pro-euro pressure group is stricken by a funding crisis and deep divisions over strategy, according to leaked documents passed to The Times. Minutes from Britain in Europe's board meetings reveal that the organisation has raised only a third of its annual budget this year and lost its treasurer because he objected to Downing Street tying the group's hands. The organisation, set up to bring together politicians from all parties and leading figures from business, was expected to act as a magnet for donations to the pro-euro cause. But the minutes show that it has been guaranteed only £475,000 of its £1.2 million budget for this year. Lord Sharman, the Liberal Democrat peer and former chairman of KPMG bank, decided to quit last month after warning fellow directors that businesses "felt unwilling to contribute to the campaign". He told the board that BiE's aims were "perceived to be political" by many firms. The minutes show that there has been a "generous donation" from BP, as well as £25,000 contributions from British American Tobacco and Unilever, which is headed by the BiE board member Niall Fitzgerald, and has provided a the organisation with a new treasurer in Guy Walker. Much of BiE's income is understood to come from Lord Sainsbury of Turville, the Science Minister, who gave up to £400,000 last year through the sister organisation, the European Movement. He is thought to have contributed the bulk of the £475,000 raised so far this year. (The Times 18/8/00)
Andrew Neil, one of the BBC's presenters, on a recent Radio 5 Live breakfast show, said that the BBC's "Europarty" - a group of senior staff at the BBC - had conspired to keep out of the news, all day, a new MORI Poll showing that 72% of British people wanted to keep the Pound. Andrew Neil alleged that the BBC's "Europarty" had also manipulated the news to the extent that the news of the MORI Poll had even been kept from its roundup of the daily newspapers. (Extract from letter to BBC Governors from UKIP Leader, G Titford MEP 7/8/00)
BRITISH pupils will be given "brainwashing" lessons about the EU, it was revealed last night. Brussels bureaucrats are drawing up a £300million blueprint for a new curriculum to teach EU history and culture. There will be a cartoon character to promote Europe to kids - and actors dressed as "Euroman" will visit primary and secondary schools. Details of the European Commission's plans - spelled out in its official journal - even include references to a "youth policy" which could tell British teens how to lead their lives. ( The Sun On-line 7/8/00) - The European Commission said it has no plans to draw up a pan-European curriculum, following reports in London that it was out to "brainwash" young British students. Under EU treaties, education is strictly a national matter for each of the 15 EU member states, though the union has a commissioner for education, Viviane Reding, who tries to play a coordinating role. (BRUSSELS, Aug 7 AFP)
Meeting with BBC on pro-European bias. After outlining the issues UKIP wished to raise, a UKIP paper was presented dealing with 8 areas of concern. For the record, these were: A. Action (or lack of it) following the Minotaur Media Tracking Report on the Euro Elections last year, which revealed BBC Bias; B. Lack of Statistics on Complaints about EU/Euro bias; C. Biased Selection of News Stories; D. Lack of proper informed debate, especially on the issue of loss of independence /sovereignty; E. Bias of BBC journalists including the appointment of key staff close to New Labour and the contrasting tones used when interviewing eurosceptics as compared with e.g. Euro Commissioners and Britain in Europe; F. Inadequate responses to complaints - non-responses, delayed and/or bland responses; G. Failure to invite prominent eurosceptics especially those who argued the case for British withdrawal from the EU; H. Failure to mention the true balance of both business and public opinion, especially on the Pound vs. Euro issue. The BBC response was cordial but cool and no concession was made by them on any of the above points save (D) where Steve Mitchell agreed we had made a useful point and promised to discuss with colleagues how informed debate on the EU and the Euro could be promoted. An extremely vague response was given to our question: "What action did the BBC take following receipt of the Minotaur Media Tracking Report. The answer was along the lines: 'we are aware of it, we are aware of other reports, we monitor our EU-related broadcasting regularly etc. We were not informed of _any_ specific corrective action the BBC had ever made on how to ensure neutrality by them on the EU I think it fair to say that the BBC response was very close to a complete denial that there was a problem. No explanation was offered as to why the BBC had given infinitely more coverage to the Pro-Euro Conservative Party than to UKIP despite UKIP getting 8% of the vote against the Pro-Euro Conservatives' 1%. Full report available from UKIP www.independenceuk.org.uk. (31 JULY 2000 - UKIP: Jeffrey Titford M.E.P., Nigel Farage M.E.P., Tony Bennett BBC: Steve Mitchell, Head of BBC Radio News, Fran Unsworth, (new) Head of Political Programmes, Chris Rybczynski, Editor, One O'Clock News)
Thousands of schoolchildren will be invited to join the "European Project on the Sun" which is intended to "demonstrate visually the way in which European collaboration really works". The project will cost £326,000, and is just a tiny part of the large-scale infiltration of universities by research and propaganda programs designed to promote European integration. This is at a cost of billions of pounds of taxpayers money. Every single British university is now receiving significant subsidies under scores of programs funded by the European Commission, such as the research into the impact of European citizenship, the "Euro Human Resource Manager", 2,319 university teaching schemes to "promote European integration" and Jean Monnet chairs at 102 UK universities. In addition are the CORDIS research program, the "European Youth Program", the Trans-European Policy Studies Association, etc. Academia has become a fifth column, serving the Union in pursuit of the integration of Europe, at a cost to taxpayers, which is cleverly made impossible to calculate. (Sunday Telegraph 23/7/00)
A PLAN to use schoolchildren to sell the benefits of the single currency to their doubting parents has been agreed in Brussels. MEPs have backed the move by the European Commission to make youngsters a key "target group" for spreading the word about the ailing euro. A report passed by the European Parliament this month says that youth organisations "play a very important role in acting as multipliers and disseminating information" and acknowledges the "important role children and young people can play in passing on information to older generations". It suggests that children be taught the value of having a single currency through essay, painting, drawing and public speaking competitions. The "information strategy", drawn up by a senior civil servant in Brussels, recognises that supporters of the euro still have a long way to go to persuade the public of the merits of monetary union ahead of the introduction of notes and coins in 2002. It adds that the next phase of the information campaign should target women and minority groups among the populace. Michael Portillo, the shadow chancellor, said: "The EU's proposed propaganda campaign smacks of an attempt to indoctrinate people. What is outrageous is that this is taxpayers' money." (Electronic Telegraph Sunday 16 July 2000)
Geoffrey Martin, head of the commission's representation in the UK, will attack "the constant bombardment and misrepresentation by the British press and Euro-sceptics". A glossy 46-page pamphlet entitled "a glossary of Euro-sceptic beliefs" is to be distributed throughout Britain, including opinion formers and libraries. Fifteen thousand copies have been printed at a cost of £11,000. The pamplet was attacked yesterday by Nick Herbert, chief executive of Business for Sterling, as "another disturbing sign of the European Commission spending tax payers money to peddle propaganda rather than information". He said he was already lobbying peers to press them to tighten up the rules on commission and government propaganda on Europe. Mr Herbert said that the peers urgently needed to amend the political parties and referendums bill so as to block Commission propaganda in the run-up to any referendum on the euro. (The Guardian, Wednesday July 12, 2000)
LABOUR and the Liberal Democrats would be given taxpayers' money to fight elections in Britain on a euro-federalist platform under a fiercely contested plan to go before the European Commission in Brussels on Wednesday. Candidates that supported European integration and the single currency would be encouraged to merge their campaigns with continental allies and be given help to stand in European parliamentary elections. The proposal is designed to encourage those parties, such as Labour, which are full members of trans-European political groupings such as the European Socialists, to campaign coherently across the Continent for greater integration. The plan to look at funding and the legal status of political parties with a view to formally establishing Europe-wide political parties, has been put forward by Michel Bernier, the French Commissioner in charge of reform. Under the Bernier proposal the money would go directly to European parties who supported a federal agenda. The Tories are not a full member of any European group. Francis Maude, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, said last night: "These funds for federalism show the contempt in which Europe's bureaucrats hold democracy. The plan amounts to a corrupting EU attempt to funnel taxpayers' money into parties willing to embrace the idea of a single European superstate." (Times 10/7/00)
A report that would see Euro38 million of taxpayers` money being used for an awareness-building exercise in favour of the Euro. The KARAS Report wants to encourage greater public acceptance of the Euro. It seeks to target various groups, with special attention being paid to women, the elderly, the blind, youth groups and, worryingly, people with mental problems. Theresa Villiers, Conservative MEP, said: "We want an end to the spending of any public money on promoting of the Euro in the `out` countries - Britain, Sweden and Denmark. It is completely unacceptable that taxpayers` money is to be spent on supporting one side of a highly political debate. Targeting children and other vulnerable groups with such a politicised campaign is particularly worrying and looks suspiciously like brainwashing and propaganda". (Wednesday, 05 July 2000 Press release Mrs Theresa Villiers MEP)
On Monday 5 June, Robert Worcester, chairman of MORI, published a pamphlet of recommendations for the Government for winning a euro referendum (How to win the euro referendum - lessons from 1975, Foreign Policy Centre). He recommended that the public should be asked not whether Britain should join the euro now, but whether Britain should join when "the time is right".(BfS briefing 8/6/00)
The BBC has admitted that a report on the 9 o'clock News on the impact of the euro on Ireland contained inaccuracies and omissions. The report had claimed that the fact that petrol prices were lower in Eire than Northern Ireland was due to the devaluation of the euro, and that Ireland was benefiting from low interest rates and high rates of growth. In reality Eire's lower petrol prices were due to lower fuel duties; the fall in the value of the euro has in fact increased the price of crude oil for Irish buyers. The report also failed to mention that Ireland's inflation has risen to 5.0 per cent, the highest in the EU, compared to 0.7 per cent in Britain. Officials of the Bank of Ireland have repeated that the ECB interest rate is inappropriate for this stage of the Irish economy. (BfS briefing 8/6/00)
Britain in Europe's campaign was condemned for its inaccuracy even before its launch when it misrepresented research by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR). Martin Weale, NIESR Director, said: "It's pure Goebbels. In many years of academic research I cannot recall such a wilful distortion of the facts" (Sunday Business, 20 February 2000).
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has said that adverts run by Britain in Europea were misleading. In a preliminary ruling, the ASA found that academic studies of the impact of Britain's withdrawal from the EU did not show that three million jobs would be lost. The final ASA decision however was that the campaign was outside of its remit since the "principal purpose" of the advertisements was to "influence voters in elections or referendums". (BfS briefing 25/5/00)
Business in Europe has planned the largest ever non-general election campaign to achieve a "yes" vote in the referendum on the EMU. It will be called "Britain for Europe". The European Movement will be at the heart of the campaign; EM staff will execute a very large number of key campaign functions. EM resources will be crucial to the ultimate success of the campaign, including raising funds from the European Commission for public information campaigns, etc. (Business for Sterling web site, leaked memo from BiE 11/5/00) http://www.bfors.com/press/98leak/
The lobby group pushing for Britain to join the Economic & Monetary Union - Britain in Europe - turns out to be not very British! The budget for this organisation is £1.5m at present. Of this about half comes from Brussels, laundered through the European Movement. The organisation is funded largely (according to a former employee) by BP, Siemens (German), Philips (Dutch), KPMG, David Sainsbury and Unilever (multinational with Dutch predominance and an Irish chairman.{Eurofacts 7/1/00}
Britain in Europe will begin putting in place "footsoldiers" across Britain, who BiE officials believe will be vital to winning a referendum on joining a single currency. North East in Europe will be followed shortly by similar groups in Scotland, Wales and other English regions. Full-time officials will be appointed to establish a network of supporters. It hopes to bypass national media and sell the benefits of EU membership to regional media. (FT 12/5/00)
More than a million booklets about the benefits of joining the European single currency - which would spell the end of the pound - are being distributed to British schools. Some copies of the magazine Euroquest are already in schools and libraries and thousands more go out every week. (News of the World, 19 March 2000) The CEC claim that it is simply presenting "facts" (CEC Press Release 13/4/00)
A press report by Christopher Booker claimed that the UK Food Safety Agency would be the EU's "poodle". The CEC refuted this, saying: "It is difficult to see how the UK's new Food Safety Agency could be an "EU poodle" when it was set up under UK law long before the Commission's proposals emerged. Recent incidents have shown the Commission, Member State governments and many of Mr Booker's readers that food safety is a top priority. But food safety rules must also be prevented from acting as trade barriers within the single market. The new proposals are specifically designed to iron out weaknesses and eliminate loopholes without creating conflict with national agencies. It is far-fetched to suggest that local health inspectorates are to be under Brussels control." (CEC Press Release 13/4/00). However, the government's announcement of the FSA said : " ...of food safety legislation, most of which has its origins in the EU. (FSA legislation)
British shopowners should display their prices in euros as well as pounds from 2002, the Lords was told yesterday. Lord McIntosh of Haringey, Treasury spokesman said that from 2002 most members of the EU would have the euro as their main currency, when about 300 million people would start using it. (Daily Telegraph Parliamentary Report 5/4/00)
The aim of the "Culture 2000" programme is to encourage creative activity and the knowledge and dissemination of the culture of the European peoples, notably in the field of music, literature, the performing arts, the fixed and movable heritage, and the new forms of cultural expression, by fostering cooperation between cultural organisations and operators and the cultural institutions of the Member States, and by supporting measures which, by their European scope and character, promote the spread of European cultures both inside and outside the Union. The budget is 167 million euro over 5 years. (3/4/00 http://www.euclid.co.uk/panfund/06.html)
THE Danish Prime Minister, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, is being sued for allegedly misusing taxpayers' money and state resources to influence the 1997 referendum on the Amsterdam Treaty. The lawsuit, announced yesterday in Strasbourg by a Danish Euro-MP, Ole Krarup, will cite a document from the Danish Trade and Industry Ministry indicating that Mr Rasmussen had proposed "task forces" to respond to negative stories about the European Union. Officials were told it was "a central task for the ministry to ensure a Yes vote" in the referendum, and that efforts should be made to generate "positive information" about the EU. (Copenhagen Post 15 March 2000/DT)
A BBC 1 TV news item on 15/3/00 on Ireland claimed that the price of petrol in Ireland was cheaper than in Ulster because Ireland was in the euro-zone. Actually, the pre-tax price of oil in Ireland is 19p per litre (compared with Britain's 17p per litre) - the difference is that Ireland only has 32p per litre of taxes and duties added on, compared with 58p for Britain. It is therefore nonsense to claim that petrol is cheaper in Ireland because they are in the euro. (Business for Sterling 16/3/00)
In July the Government announced the establishment of twelve regional forums to make sure there is help for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) to identify and take forward vital preparations for the introduction of the euro on 1 January 1999. The regional euro forums, led by local business representatives and coordinated by regional Government Offices, bring together representatives of key partners who have an interest in supporting business, for example Business Links, chambers of commerce, the CBI, TECs, trade unions, Bank of England regional representatives, local authorities and public sector bodies. Their role is to identify key regional issues arising from the introduction of the euro and their likely effect on regional business activity. Each forum is developing a regional euro preparations strategy which will address action that needs to be taken at a regional level to support businesses preparing for the euro. (1/3/00 http://www.euro.org.uk/rfo.html )
The European Union is planning a big-spending campaign to persuade its 370 million citizens of the merits that of enlarging to the East amid growing signs of public disenchantment with the Union' s expansion. Opinion polls suggest the public is increasingly sceptical about, and in some cases hostile to, EU expansion. In Austria, the scepticism of Jorg Haider's Freedom Party towards enlargement is seen as a factor in its popularity. It is understood costs are likely to run into several million Euros spread over several years. (FT 16/2/00)
The Church of England, individual Anglican Churches and their ministers are actively promoting the dismantling of the United Kingdom and its absorption into the developing European Union superstate. They are doing so with taxpayers money, channelled through the "Soul for Europe" project, itself part of little-known "Forward Studies Unit" of the European Commission. The Forward Studies Unit is based in Brussels and reports directly to the Commission President. The core of its work is "legitimising and constitutionalising the European Project". Applications for funding are filtered through the Soul for Europe Screening Committee whose precise membership is secret. The Soul for Europe programme started ten years ago. According to some estimates it has to date provided over £25 million in grants to ecumenical and pro-EU projects throughout Europe. It declares "the building of Europe has a spiritual and ethical dimension. The objective of Soul for Europe is to encourage contributions to the unification of Europe." (Independence, Journal of the Campaign for Independent Britain, Issue Number 41). This initiative aims to stimulate the dialogue with religious or humanist communities and to promote projects which contribute to the recognition and understanding of the ethical and spiritual dimensions of the European unification process and the policies of the Community. The budget line A 3024 is now (since 1999) managed under the responsibility of the member of the Commission in charge of education and culture. (Answer to EU Parliament question by Jeffry Titford MEP, UKIP 6/12/99)
The group campaigning for entry to the single currency Britain in Europe was attacked yesterday by a respected think-tank that accused it of behaving like Joseph Goebbels. Business in Europe was accused of twisting a report from the National Institute for Economic & Social Research to exaggerate the effects of withdrawing from the EU. It claimed that the report found that 8 million jobs would be placed in jeopardy. Martin Weale, the director of the institute, said *It's pure Goebbels. In many years of academic research I cannot recall such a wilful distortion of the facts. Senior pro-single currency campaigners were last night blaming Simon Buckby, the director of BiE for the furore. Mr Buckby is a Labour Party apparatchik with close links to Downing Street. Mr Weale explained "Britain in Europe's claims are absurd. Nobody could plausibly believe the figures. As the experience of the 1960s indicates, there is no reason why being outside the EU should necessarily involve mass unemployment. (The Times 19/2/00)
Tony Blair is to spearhead a new campaign to warn voters of the catastrophic dangers of Euro-scepticism, amid ministerial fears that opposition to the European Union is growing at an alarming rate. The prime minister will kick off the campaign - which will have the slogan Out of Europe, Out of Work - with a speech next week warning that isolation in Europe would cost hundreds of thousands of British jobs. The initiative, which follows William Hague's launch of his Keep the Pound campaign this week, will reopen Tory splits over Europe, with Kenneth Clarke and Michael Heseltine throwing their weight behind the prime minister. (Guardian February 17, 2000)
The Foreign Office has formed a "rebuttal unit" to counter what it claims are anti-European stories in the media. Officials are monitoring newspapers which the Government regards as sympathetic to Euro-scepticism, including The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and Sun. A Government spokesman said that the aim was to "correct inaccuracies and misinformation" about the EU. The unit would draft letters for Keith Vaz, the minister for Europe, to send to newspapers that had printed hostile or inaccurate reports about Europe or the Government's EU policies. (Sunday Telegraph 6/2/00)
LABOUR Eurosceptics have accused the BBC of "outrageous bias" in its coverage of Europe and complained that their views are being ignored by broadcasters obsessed by Conservative splits over the single currency. Lord Shore of Stepney, the former Labour Cabinet minister, has made a formal complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Commission that the BBC and other television channels are failing to provide balanced and impartial news. He also contacted Greg Dyke, the incoming director general of the BBC, yesterday to warn him that he faces a growing backlash from Labour Eurosceptic MPs and peers over the corporation's "Europhile" reporting. Lord Shore, chairman of the Labour Euro-Safeguards Campaign, accused Downing Street and Labour's Millbank headquarters of "falling over themselves" to suppress the views of the party's Eurosceptics. He said: "I have no doubt that one of the major ploys of Number 10 spin doctors is to disguise the fact that there's a debate going on inside the Labour Party. He claimed that the majority of Labour voters were against scrapping the pound, something which the broadcasters appeared determined to disregard. "That does seem to us to be bias - and bias of a serious kind since, on admittedly divisive European issues, a genuine commitment to impartiality is essential in the national interest," he wrote. (Electronic Telegraph Tuesday 25 January 2000)
The government is to launch a new media offensive putting the case for Britain's role in Europe and membership of the Euro. It will be primarily aimed at encouraging newspapers to report European Union issues in a more balanced way. The initiative will pave the way for a campaign on membership of the Euro. (Financial Times 18/1/00)
The Foreign Office is more than doubling its spending on information campaigns to persuade people of the benefits of European Union membership. The budget for "public diplomacy" will be at least £200,000 in 2000-01 as Foreign Office Ministers try to reverse public scepticism about the EU. The budget was set at £100,000 for the previous year. The Conservatives condemned the spending, and accuse the government of misusing public money to try to persuade people to vote in favour of joining the euro in the referendum due after the next election. The Foreign Office is also issuing a 40 p. pamphlet about the EU to be distributed to schools, libraries, Chambers of commerce and local government offices. (Financial Times 3/1/00). The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Keith Vaz): We have encouraged the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Executive to organise regional roadshows later in the year to promote the benefits of our membership of the EU to follow the successful roadshow of last November. I am also writing to the leaders of the city councils of Leeds, Liverpool, Reading, Southampton and Norwich to explore the possibility of their organising a Europe Day in those cities during the summer. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will shortly publish a "UK in Europe" public information brochure that will cover the history of our involvement in the European Union, and hold a Europe Day on 9 May. (Hansard 15 Feb 2000 : Column 759)
The Pro-European campaign group, Britain in Europe, is planning to offer its supporters meetings with Cabinet ministers and senior Conservative politicians in return for substantial donations. A new high value fund-raising club is being set up for people who give £500 or more. Members will be invited to dinners, drinks parties and speaker meetings with Britain in Europe's backers, who include Tony Blair, Robin Cook and Michael Heseltine. (Daily Telegraph 12/1/00)
Sections 406 and 407 of the 1996 Education Act forbid political indoctrination and bias in schools. But Baroness Blackstone, Minister for European education matters, celebrated Britain's EU Presidency by sending all schools "Partners in Europe", a propaganda package, at a cost to the taxpayer estimated between £224,000 to £309,000 (June 1998 answer to a Parliamentary Question from Lord Pearson of Rannoch). "A Guide for Students and Teachers" issued by the European Commission, reads: "As a European Citizen you should enjoy higher living standards, improved opportunities for career development, better health and safety conditions.... European regulations [are] sometimes necessary ...rules made not by bureaucrats but by national ministers." In 1997, the Classroom Guide to the European Union, aimed at 11-14-year-olds, informed them that "The EU is like a club. Our Ministers decide; the EU does not tell each country what they should produce and how." Apparently, the Common Agricultural Policy [CAP] is there to "ensure the supply of foodstuffs to European consumers at reasonable prices". (EU Propaganda in Schools - New Alliance)
E.U. Presidents Jacques Delors, Jacques Santer and Romano Prodi have been directly funding the pro-E.U. ecumenical movement through the 'Soul for Europe' fund, never formally approved by the Council of Ministers but which has channelled tens of millions of pounds into pro-E.U. ecumenical projects (English Churchman, July 1999)
Hundreds of professional spin-doctors are to be employed by the European Commission as part of a big shake-up of the press operation designed to improve Brussels' image. Romano Prodi, the incoming president, intends setting up a New Labour-style media "war room" in Brussels to monitor press reaction and issues orders to offices around European Union. About 500 personnel will be deployed to try to cut the number of negative stories arising about the commission. Another 150 are likely to be recruited for the new "press and communications unit". (Independent on Sunday 12/9/99)
The European Central Bank appointed Publicis, the French advertising agency, as advisers for a campaign to smooth the launch of euro notes and coins in January 2002. The contract, estimated at £19 million to £40 million, will require Publicis to "prepare the general public so that euro notes and coins are favourably received". (FT 5/11/99)
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office now has objectives from this government which give it a mandate to operate on the UK mainland. In the FCO 'report' on its objectives for 1999-2000 one of the five bullet points given as their primary objectives for this period is "Objective 5: - A step change in the UK's relations with the rest of Europe, with increasing public support for EU activities (by March 2002)". (Eurofaq report on EUNICE, the pro-EU publicity bus tour of the UK, 13/12/99)
Mark Littlewood, resigning from Britain in Europe, writes: "... the organisation has been taken over wholesale by Labour's Millbank machine and its raison d'etre is to parrot Labour's equivocal policy, to embarrass the Tory party and to do nothing to advance the cause of the euro. ... In essence, the European Movement - a benign collection of pro-Europeans which used to be led by Stephen Woodard - has been taken over by Britain in Europe, in the form of the Labour party, and demolished. Stephen Woodard was told he would not have an office of his own: he has now left, and his post is still vacant. Instead Simon Buckby has recruited a bunch of new Labour "munchkins" as they are known. ... Under the new Millbank controlled campaign anyone so reckless as to say we should go into the euro soon is condemned as a fanatic ..." Amongst many other tid-bits Littlewood describes Alastair Campbell as a Labour Eurosceptic; and reveals that Britain in Europe is "funded largely by BP (chairman Lord Simon), Siemens, Philips, KPMG, David Sainsbury, and Unilever". Plus £700,000 from the European Movement totalling a budget of around £1.5 million. (The Spectator, Dec 11th 1999)
The European Central Bank has commissioned a multi-million pound advertising campaign, with Britain as one of the target areas, as a "celebration" of the launch of the euro. Undeterred by the euro's continued weakness, the bank is launching a European-wide initiative to prepare people for the introduction of euro coins in 2002. It is expected to cost £60 million, but the bank risks inflaming opponents of the single currency whom are already angry about taxpayer's money being used to fund pro-euro campaigning. Taxpayer's money has already been used to promote the euro. Until a week ago the Britain in Europe campaign used to share offices with the European Movement, which is funded by the European Union. The Treasury has so far spent about £7.5 million on television adverts urging British companies to ready themselves for the euro. (Daily Telegraph 11/11/99)
Prime Minister Tony Blair today launched a £60,000 roadshow in a bid to promote the Government's pro-Europe campaign around England. He waved off Europe Minster Keith Vaz as he boarded a bus which is to visit 11 cities over the next week. The "Your Britain, Your Europe" show will start on Monday. Mr Blair, who wants to get his message on Europe across to the entire country, said during a visit to Woodham community College in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham: "Our membership of the European Union delivers real benefits to every region of the UK. "EU funds make a vital contribution to local development through investment in the environment, education and research projects. "Businesses throughout the country rely heavily on the trade and investment that the single market brings." Mr Vaz said: "People are pleased that the Government is taking this message out of London and into the regions. (PA News 26 Nov 1999) The latest figures show that for every pound given to the EU we only get 50p back and that can only be spent on EU approved schemes - Ed
SPENDING on single currency propaganda by the EU has rocketed 75 times over the past five years, it emerged yesterday. Brussels is now committing about £25million a year of taxpayers' cash to the EU's information unit whose primary job has been to publicise the single currency. In 1995 the figure was just £333,000.(The Daily Mail, 12/08/99.)
A team of experts has been appointed to investigate allegations of corruption against the European commissioners, but the efforts to clean up the image of the Brussels executive were marred by an embarrassing blunder by its own spin doctors. The Commissioners media service accidentally released an internal memorandum that called for a measure of hypocrisy and evasion when dealing with the press. The Commission should not get carried away by the idea of transparency, it said it is necessary to learn how to conceal aspects of information which could give rise to bad interpretation. The notice was draughted by the spokesman for Edith Cresson, the Commissioner most under fire over allegations of nepotism. (The Times 28 January 1999)
Mr Prodi is taking much firmer control of the Commission than his predecessors. The Commission’s traditional HQ in the Breydel building will become Mr Prodi’s private office. All other Commissioners have been ordered to relocate to their departments elsewhere in the city. They will meet once a week for a ‘Cabinet meeting’. Also, individual Commissioners will lose the right to individual spokesmen for their departments. "The Press and Information Service will operate under the sole authority of the President," said Mr Prodi. The new chief of media relations will be Ricardo Franco Levi, who was Mr Prodi’s media adviser when he was Italian PM. (Business for Sterling briefing 19/7/99)
BROADCASTERS are accused of being politically biased in favour of European federalism in a detailed analysis of programming to be presented to the chairmen of the BBC and Independent Television Commission. In an independent study that will fuel the debate about BBC impartiality, research into more than 600 hours of news coverage during last month's European Parliament elections shows that Euro-sceptic opinions were given far less airtime than those supporting closer links with the European Union. Researchers were commissioned by Global Britain The researchers from Minotaur Media Tracking monitored all news output in the five weeks until June 13, three days after the poll, on BBC television, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, documenting examples of bias on most programmes. Among smaller parties, the Pro-European Conservative Party, which won 1.3 per cent in the poll and no seats, was given far greater prominence than the UK Independence Party, which won 7.7 per cent and three seats, the report said. Programmes consistently favoured interviews with figures that favoured European integration. In one example, the BBC's On The Record political programme featured five interviews with politicians identified as favouring greater integration and just one Euro-sceptic. (Sunday Telegraph 18/7/99)
The government is planning a tour of the UK to try to boost public understanding of the benefits of European union membership, and the potential advantages of Europe. It will focus on the regional media, which the government believes are more useful vehicles for disseminating information than the often Eurosceptic national press. (Financial Times 3 July 1999)
The European Commission is to set up a department responsible for funding and managing EU programmes with an attractive public profile. The new Directorate-General bringing together staff working in the education, training, youth, sport and culture policy fields, would help associate the EU in the public mind with people friendly activities. (European Voice 10 June 1999)
The BBC was accused of bowing to Labour after it changed its coverage of the Government's Euro-manifesto launch to tone down the party's enthusiasm for the EU. In a report of the Labour manifesto launch for the lunchtime news, a BBC graphic picked out the document's four main points, all highlighting government plans to cede more power to Brussels. When the launch was covered in the early evening news they had been substituted with less contentious pledges, none of which suggested that more power might be surrendered. The early report listed the four points as closer economic co-operation, a European charter of rights, deeper co-operation on defence and increased majority voting. These were changed to boosting British influence abroad, modernising European institutions, bringing decision-making close to the people and increasing co-operation on defence. (Daily Telegraph 21/5/99)
The long-awaited information campaign in Sweden on the implications of European Economic and Monetary Union has been delayed owing to the resignation of the European Commission. The campaign will be jointly funded by the government and the European Commission. Support for joining EMU fell from 51% last December to 40%. (Financial Times 22 April 1999)
The Government has so far spent £29 million on preparing Britain for entry into the Euro. The Lord Simon of Highbury, the minister in charge of helping businesses to ready themselves for possible entry into the single currency, told the Commons "in the next stage of public-sector preparation, we expect to spend tens of millions of pounds." (Daily Telegraph 3 March 1999)
Advertisement in the Guardian for a "Campaign Manager" reporting to the Executive Board of Trustees of "Britain in Europe" for the attempt to gain a majority YES vote in any referendum on the single currency. The job carries a £60-£70,000 salary with responsibility for up to 70 staff who may be seconded from the European Movement and thus paid for by taxpayers. The candidate must be "pro-European". Employment is from August 1999 till 2 months after the referendum (with three months notice) . (Eurofaq posting 26/4/99)
Jack Straw, Home Secretary, launched a project for mock European elections in schools at the end of March. The plan is that votes from schools around the country will be combined by region, as for the real thing, to produce a national mock election result. Straw says "Organising mock European elections in schools is an excellent way of encouraging both interest in current European issues, and future participation in European elections." These mock elections are part of an "Education for Citizenship" project that has been organised by the Federal Trust and the Hansard Society, "with support of both the European Commission and the European Parliament". (EP News April 1999)
Tony Blair has set up a secret Cabinet Committee to soften up British public opinion on the Euro. Ministers and Whitehall officials have been ordered to produce 10 to 15 favourable stories a month about Europe for Government spin-doctors. A confidential memo, seen by the Mail on Sunday, reveals that the group exists 'to turn public opinion towards the EU'. The committee includes Ministers from 14 Gov. depts. and is co-ordinated by David Cairns, an official in the EU dept. at the FO. They are expected to have proposals ready for a meeting of the Ministerial Group for European Co-ordination at the end of the month. Mr Blair believes that the Opposition and anti-Europe newspapers have an advantage over pro-European opinion. (Sunday Mail 11/4/99)
The dismissal of a reporter, Jean Nicolas, who carried out investigations into Belgian government sleaze has raised questions about the system in Belgium whereby the public purse is used to keep afloat companies in financial difficulty, including newspapers. The newspaper, Sud Presse's parent company, Rossel has been receiving government aid for several years .Nicolas had exposed links between Commission officials and a man called Claude Perry, now under police investigation for allegedly bribing bureaucrats close to EU commissioner Edith Cresson. 'Jean Nicolas has worked like an ant [to] dig away at the mysteries of the institution...We are very proud to have brought out the truth,' an editorial in his paper said. But the tone changed within hours. Michel Fromont, the managing director of Sud Presse, the group which includes La Meuse, was penning the order to sack Nicolas even as its journalists celebrated: 'I have not intervened earlier even though I have been asked to do so, given the attacks on Jean Nicolas from the Cresson side. I have protected him come what may in these particular circumstances, but I cannot do it any more.' Cresson's lawyer certainly wrote to the newspaper warning of possible defamation proceedings last September, but her spokesman denied any intervention in Brussels. (The Observer April 4, 1999)
The rest of Britain may be stuck with pounds sterling - but not Eastbourne. It will take its own step towards monetary union thanks to a £6,000 Euro grant. This money