JOSPIN : LA RUMEUR...

Par décret du 16 juillet 2012, JO du 17, a été créée une commission chargée de proposer des réformes afin de répondre aux préoccupations exprimées par le Président de la République dans sa lettre du 16 juillet publiée en annexe au décret.  Monsieur Jospin, un ancien Premier Ministre socialiste, a été nommé Président de cette Commission qui comprend 13 membres dont Roseline Bachelot, ancien ministre de Nicolas Sarkozy.

Or depuis, la rumeur va bon train sur internet, par voie de mails, concernant les rémunérations importantes qui seraient allouées aux membres de cette commission: 122 000 euros pour monsieur Jospin, 91 000 euros pour madame Bachelot...

Naturellement, monsieur Jospin a réfuté catégoriquement cette rumeur selon laquelle les membres de la Commission seraient rémunérés.  Cela va s'en dire mais cela aurait été mieux en le disant et pourquoi pas en l'écrivant, par exemple en précisant dans le décret instituant la Commission que ses membres exerceront leurs fonctions à titre bénévole.

Précisons que cette commission doit rendre compte de ses travaux d'ici le 15 novembre 2012.

DML

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EU LEADERS MUST DECIDE THE FATE OF THE EURO ?

The Olympics in London are underway and at this very moment Germany has not yet won its first medal (Sunday 29/07/12). Yet everyone knows that medals will come !!!

However, while everyone is concentrated on the Olympics, Germans are more worried about the EURO !!!

What will EUROZONE politicians decide about the current requests for financial aid by:

     -  Greece ?
     -  Spain ?
     -  Italy ?

The last two countries could require more help than the increase in the Balance of Payments of Germany during the last few years !!!  Other EUROZONE countries like (France, Holland, etc) could not really help !!!

In this context, one should not forget that all countries are not equal:  Cyprus, Portugal, Ireland and the Benelux countries and others in Eastern Europe, cannot apply stringent Directives like the 3% Budgetary Rule !!!

Germans are now more than just hesitant about what should be done !!!  Opinion Polls question past policies and in particular the policies of Merkel.  German politicians will be quick to replace her if her defeat next Spring becomes a possibility.

In this context, Barroso, a former left-wing politician and Portuguese Prime Minister (President of the EU Commission) who got the finance for Portugal when it was needed, and the two Italian Marios, Draghi (President of the European Central Bank) who pledged he would do his all to save the EURO, and Monti, known as "Super Mario", the very subtle left wing Italian Prime Minister, will also do all to save the EURO, and, of course, to save their country, Italy !!!  

Saving the EURO is no longer a question of saving or  preserving an ideal !!!  It is now a question of "saving" the economies of 17 countries !!!  The real question is "at what cost and who pays ?"  Most Germans and other thinking citizens of the EUROZONE and the EU are asking themselves similar questions !!!

EU leaders can no longer avoid answering questions like these from their electorates !!!  Spain, Italy and Greece need financing urgently !!!     

BANKS ARE RICH BUT SHOULD THEY NOT REVALUE THEIR ASSETS ?

All european countries have their rules about revaluations of Balance Sheets. 

It is my firm impression that Banks hide behind local country laws and pretend they do not have to revalue "hidden" unrevalued assets, when they seek financial help on the International or National Financial markets !!!

This Blog has already drawn attention to International Banking  Groups who choose to ignore or evade local national regulations when these do not coincide with Group objectives !!!  This is not abnormal !!!

What is abnormal is that these Banking Groups are not obliged to revalue or devalue assets on a current basis for reporting purposes !!!

Did Spanish Banks do this ?  Did Spanish Regional Governments do this ?   Finally, did the Spanish Government really not know what was going on ? 

Spain initially pleaded for help "to save its Banks" !!!
Then it seems that there were "other" problems !!!

Initially the cost of saving the State of Spain was minimal !!!  Now the EUROZONE is facing not just 30 Billion financing costs but more like 200 Billion !!!

Is it EUROZONE taxpayers who will pick up the cost of this financing ?  Or will non EUROZONE countries be dragged in ?
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WHEN MUST TAXATION STOP ?

This can appear to be a curious question !!!  However, does the Chancellor of the Exchequer consider that "what is not yours is mine" ?   Not really, because in fact he does not tax the estate of the dead at a 100 % rate !!!

He taxes the unearned income of babies when he can !!! He would tax cash payments for services if DAVID GAUKE  had his way !!!

Should the real objective of the tax authorities not be to "tax all self enrichment by a worker in Britain" ?  This would justify the State to tax any increase in wealth !!!

That would, in fact, give a justifiable image to a tax policy, just like in Communist States, but would drive Millionaires out of the country and into tax havens !!!

Alas, this would still not stop "illegal" cash payments as David Gauke would want !!!
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IRONIC ATTACK ON TAX EVASION IN GB !!!

David Gauke made his name yesterday when he provoked all those around him, at all levels, by accusing them of paying cash to plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc !!! 

As Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury he obviously has other objectives in mind !!!

Has he, however, understood the basic rule of legislation ?  If you cannot enforce a law,  it will be contravened at will !!!

From the newspapers this morning it seems that David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Boris Johnson and Ed Miliband, all recognise they have paid cash for services !!!  They do know the law, thank God !!!

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WHEN THE EURO TREMBLES AND THEN GERMANY TREMBLES ALSO !!!

Germany is the saviour of the EURO, but when the rescued countries want to impose conditions on any repayment schedules, there comes a time when the lender becomes hesitant !!! 

How can Germany (and its taxpayers) accept that their Politicians would be prepared to underwrite a third series of loans to Greece when the Greek leaders say quite clearly that they want softer and less stringent repayment terms ?  Are the same conditions offered to companies in Germany which are on the brink of Bankruptcy ?

Would Germany expect France also to subscribe to more loans to Greece ?  And to Spain and to Italy ?

The time has come when a fundamental rethink must be undertaken by all the countries involved, of the basic reasons why the "EURO" must be saved and at all costs !!! 

The "ideal" of a EURO is not wrong, but would it not be better to cut current losses now and then re-start all over again with a EUROZONE TREATY ?
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BRITISH ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL IMMIGRATION ARE TOO SOFT :!!!

When you read reports on why Britain cannot reduce the number of illegal immigrants, you ultimately get to the problem "What can any immigration officer do when faced with an illegal immigrant ?"   In fact , when is a foreigner just a visitor or a potential illegal immigrant ?    

This problem is never highlighted when reports and statistics are presented or when "Bonuses" are justified for the meritorious managers or employees. Nothing is ever said about the visitors or illegal immigrants who have "escaped" detection or even evaded deportation !!! 

All that one reads in the last report is that there is a remaining backlog of 250 000 cases, down from a backlog of 450 000 cases six years ago !!!  Can anyone believe figures like these ?     

You read about bogus students and the Maestricht treaty on free movement in the EU and Human Rights, but never anything about the number of deportations !!!

Another statistic never published is the number of illegal immigrants detained in prisons and awaiting judgement and deportation !!! 

To go even further, does anyone know how many prison places are required to enable British judges not to be fettered when they consider prison sentences for criminals and immigration offenders ? 

Keith Vaz, the chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee has big problems and someone who should help him is Kenneth Clark, the Minister for Justice !!!  No new prisons leads to more illegal immigrants, Mr Clark !!! There are many high unemployment areas where they would readily accept the building of a new state of the arts prison !!!

If Kenneth Clark will not insist that more prisons are built or modernised soft British Justice will continue !!!  Such a situation would not be tolerated in Russia or the USA, not to mention other countries !!!
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U N O MUST CHANGE ITS RULES IF IT WANTS TO ACT IN CASES OF "GENOCIDE" !!!

For more than a year the United Nations Organization (UNO) has proved that it is incapable of intervening in  Syria to stop the bloodshed by President Bashar Assad and his Government !!!

The violence of the repression of the opposition is nothing else but "GENOCIDE" by a DESPOTIC PRESIDENT !!!   UNO with its rules of the "VETO" (which China and Russia used to protect its own interests) is throttled and will never manage to do anything really worthwhile unless changes are made.

To put it very simply another way, there are "Human Rights Acts" which murderers exploit when they can, yet UNO can do nothing to stop repeated acts of "genocide" !!!

Should UNO not start now, before other cases like Syria develope, to limit the use of Vetoes ?  Should a veto not be available for every country to prevent direct UNO intervention in its own country ?  However, should UNO not reserve the right to intervene if a high majority (80% or 90%) to intervene is obtained by a vote in the General Assembly ?

Alternatively should "Acts of Genocide" not be recognised as a legitimate reason for UNO intervention ?

If UNO does not change its rules it will lose any respect it still has left after the bloodshed in Syria.  Its best politicians and ambassaders are at present comparable with toothless lions !!!                                                    

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IMMIGRATION ET AIDE MEDICALE DE L'ETAT

En France, les étrangers "sans papiers" bénéficient de l'aide médicale de l'Etat (AME).

Créée en 2000 par le gouvernement de Lionel Jospin, l'AME vise à permettre l'accès aux soins médicaux des personnes étrangères résidant en France, en situation irrégulière, c'est à dire sans titre de séjour ou de récépissé de demande. 

Seuls sont exclus de la prise en charge de l'AME les frais relatifs aux cures thermales et aux actes nécessaires à la réalisation d'une aide à la procréation assistée.

Ce dispositif d'Aide Médicale de l'Etat a généré de multiples excès et sa suppression figurait dans le programme présidentiel de Marine Le Pen.

Dans son édition du 19 juillet 2012, LE FIGARO pointe les abus et dérives de ce dispositif dont le coût a explosé:  588 millions d'euros en 2011 contre 75 millions dans le budget 2000.

En mars 2011, pour limiter les dépenses engendrées par l'AME, le gouvernement de François Fillon avait conditionné le droit aux prestations au paiement d'un timbre fiscal de 30 euros par bénéficiaire majeur.

C'est ce forfait de 30 euros que le gouvernement Ayrault propose aujourd'hui de supprimer.

La France était déjà le pays de l'Union Européenne le plus généreux avec ses clandestins mais elle peut manifestement encore mieux faire, toujours au détriment de ses ressortissants et des étrangers en situation régulière !

DML

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BASIC BANK RULES NEED TO CHANGE :

With increasing regularity the behaviour of banks comes under public scrutiny, due to the greed of banks and, more particularly, their Directors.

What have Banks and Governments done to stem the "Outlaws" who override any considerations of what can only be termed as being "acceptable Banking Principles or Practices" ?

Does the Banking Profession in Britain no longer have any control of members in the Banking World ?  Does the Bank of England not control what is going on ?  Does it not have any contacts with, or controls over, Foreign Banks or Inter-Continental Banks ?

Must everything be enacted in a law ?  If this is the answer then the Government must act !!!

However, as this Blog has already suggested, here again are some obvious matters which need to be considered.

   1  Only National Banks with no Foreign Shareholders should get cheap "Tap Money" to further Government policies in Britain !!!

   2  "All Bank Directors" emoluments contracts and any subsequent modification, should be officially filed and submitted to a vote at the Annual General Meeting.

   3  A Supervisory Committee should be named and be  established, which should include the representative of the Bank of England.

   4  Sub-Committees should be created and convened to represent,

     - British Multinational Banking Organisations, 

     -  Inter-continental banking Groups with no particular shareholder interests in Britain.

Is this not a possible framework to enable Britain to control Banks and Operators who want to fleece the British Stock Exchange and normal British investors ?

Once again, this Blog repeats what it said yesterday, that if no one takes any action, the same problems will continue !!!     

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE ET LE PROTOCOLE ...

Valérie Trierweiller" sera présente à mes côtés lorsque le protocole l'exigera" a déclaré François Hollande lors de l'interview du 14 juillet.

Pourtant le protocole du Palais de l'Elysée n'exige rien et ne prévoit aucune disposition particulière concernant le rôle de l'épouse du chef de l'Etat et a fortiori celui de la concubine du Président de la République.    

Pour mémoire, le Président René Coty était resté veuf de novembre 1955 à 1958 et le Président Sarkozy sans conjointe entre son divorce en octobre 2007 et son remariage quelques mois plus tard...

DML
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BRITISH JUSTICE IS NO LONGER APPLIED IN BRITAIN !!!

There was a time in Britain when justice was seen to be applied.  When criminals were caught, they were brought to the Court, legally aided but if found guilty, punished !!! The aim was to deter criminals and to protect law abiding citizens. 

British Justice then was admired all over the World.  Alas this is no longer the case !!!  It is now mocked, particularly by criminals and immigrants !!!  Not a week goes by without a British Judge somewhere lamenting the fact that he cannot punish a habitual petty criminal because there is no room in the prison system !!!

Judges cannot use prison sentences to knock common sense into habitual criminals because for "good behaviour in prison" sentences are reduced by at least a third, if not by a half when prisons are full !!!

There has also been a big change in the way "crime" is perceived.  Social workers all too often want to give another chance to criminals, but does this help judges, the police or the innocent victim ?

In the past, to know if a law proposed was admissible, the yardstick was "Can this law be enforced"?  In present conditions this question cannot be answered !!! 

No one in Britain seems to care !!!  The standard reply these days is: "It is the fault of the Human Rights Act in Europe" !!!  Is that really true ?  What would happen if more prisons were built, without Television sets and other homely comforts ?

It is not easy but doing nothing solves nothing !!!  The last real Prime Minister Britain had was Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady.  I would like to hear what she would say on this subject !!! 

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FRANCOIS HOLLANDE: SI C'ETAIT UN POISSON...

Si c'etait un poisson, ce serait une anguille! celle qui vous file entre les doigts.  C'est ce qu'on dû se dire les téléspectateurs qui attentifs ont écouté la seconde interview du Président de la République, depuis le début de son quinquennat, et réalisée ce 14 juillet.

On savait François Hollande passé maître dans l'art de l'esquive, mais aujourd'hui on est encore resté dans le flou et comme disait la grand mère de Martine Aubry: "quand c'est flou, c'est qu'il y a un loup".

DML

CAMERON HAS TWO "HUMAN RIGHTS" PROBLEMS !!! BRITISH RIGHTS AND THE "ECHR" !!!

David Cameron appears to have two Human Rights problems !!!  One is the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)  and the other is the state of the legislation in Britain covering "British Human Rights".

 

He set up a Study Group on a British "Bill of Rights" but the members of the Commission finally chosen, seem to have diverted from the original "intentions" that Cameron had in mind !!!   

The remit should probably have been more specific or direct !!!  Were there not also "liberal" political pressures involved ?

A British "Human Rights Act" to limit the extension of the powers of the ECHR  to overrule the judgements of the British Courts, is more than necessary and overdue !!!  It seems this cannot now be expected from this Commission !!!  All the members supposedly working on it, should therefore be sent packing, and the Commission should be disbanded !!!

 

The ECHR has a backlog at present of about 160 000 cases !!!  Is this acceptable ?  It seems that it seeks to extend its rights to intervene and then overrule judgements, in countries in the EU, whenever possible !!!  This is nothing less than sedition !!!

 

David Cameron understands full well that Britain must limit the rights of outside powers to interfere in the administration of British Justice.  He rightly knows that Britain needs a "British Human Rights Act" which specifies clearly where no outside intrusion will be tolerated.  This is not what the "Commission" with its overheavy Legal Experts wanted to aim at !!!


European history recalls the time when an ECHR would have been more than useful !!!  Should one recall the great cold-blooded Dictators of the last 100 years ?  Does the  ECHR understand the principles of modern national justice ?  At present it certainly does not respect them !!!

The EU should spend more of its time and energies to redefine the objectives of the ECHR and to curtail them where necessary !!!  This is something the LISBON TREATY never covered !!!   

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EU AND EUROZONE HAVE DIFFERENT AIMS !!!

It becomes more evident every passing week that the ultimate aims of the 17 members of the EUROZONE diverge completely from the objectives of the Lisbon Treaty !!! 

Because 17 countries adopted the EURO as their currency a new situation was created !!!  It meant in fact that the "new" currency required management !!!  This was not spellt-out in the Treaty of Lisbon and has come as a late revelation !!!  It is now the topic of all discussions when "EU" Leaders meet each other almost  week !!!

EUROZONE leaders do not want to bear the costs, particularly the small countries !!!  This is not abnormal, because the EUROZONE has no "Constitutional" Treaty !!!   Germany in fact is the only country which patiently really covers costs !!!  This cannot continue !!!


If EUROZONE countries were left to declare themselves bankrupt, they would find themselves in the same position as "Non EURO" countries !!!

When a currency fails, the country must reorganise  its self and its Finances !!!  Everyone, from the top to the bottom suffers !!!  This is not what happens in the EUROZONE at present !!!
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FIFA MUST HELP REFEREES AGAINST CHEATS !!!

At last FIFA and its President Sepp Blatter have managed to agree that two goalline technology systems should be tested.  They are called Hawk-eye and GoalRef.

The Hawk-eye system was developed in 2001 and is well known to followers of Tennis and Cricket.  The GoalRef system is more recent.  Both systems must be tested in normal Football Match conditions.  The systems are very different as the GoalRef system uses a chip inside the ball.

If FIFA now has come to grips with the simple question of  "Has the ball crossed the goalline ?"  there are other very urgent problems on the football pitch that must be tackled !!! 

Football referees need help and protection to punish offenders correctly, especially when offences are commutted behind their backs !!!  This needs a different system than that of goalline technology.

The leading offences which need to be closely examined are the following;

     -  Body-checking to prevent an oponent from playing the ball.
     -  Body-checking with outstretched arms to prevent an oponent from playing the ball.
     -  Body-checking an oponent when intentionally not playing the ball.

     -  Bustling in the penalty area.
     -  Shirt pulling.
     -  Off the ball fighting.
     -  Feigning pain after an incident or after having lost the ball.


Video assistence for referees must be seriously considered.  It is easy to blame the referee when something is missed.  The system already in use in Rugby is clearly much more professional than no system at all as in Football at present !!!  

 FIFA is the Guardian of the Game of Football.  It has the responsibility and must act in the interests of the game !!!

FIFA YELLOW + RED CARD SYSTEM COULD BE BETTER !!!

As a follower, a real fan, of football I am not convinced that referees are enthusiastic or enthralled about the rules which oblige them to issue Yellow or Red cards during a game !!!

The real problem is that often an offense could merit either a Yellow or a Red card ?  Also, two yellow cards in the same game become a Red card and the sending-off of the player involved. 

Red cards are sometimes a too severe punishment for an offense !!!  This makes referees hesitant.  This also means that some referees are seen as being "lenient".

If FIFA admits that there is in fact a problem, should they not have an investigation ?  Would periods of time spent in a "Sin Bin" not be more appropriate ?  Total time spent in the "Sin Bins" over a period of time could still lead to further longer punishment for habitual offenders !!!

In fact, two Yellow Cards could perhaps become five or ten minutes in the "Sin Bin" straight away !!!

Other sports have Sin Bins.  It is not a crime to inspire oneself with what others have done !!!

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SPANISH BANKS GET 30 BILLION EUROS "LOANS" AID !!! TO SAVE THE EURO ?

The EUROZONE, which has no legal framework, will provide 30 billion Euros of loans to Spanish banks before the end of July 2012 !!!  The ultimate total might be 100 billion Euros !!!

The first obvious question is "Why are the loans to be made directly to the banks and not the Spanish state ?"  It would seem that the answer or reason at present is not very convincing !!!  We have to wait and see what happens to-day.

The second question is "What is the real reason why Spanish Banks need refinancing ?".  Part of the answer would seem to be that the Banks financed the "Property Boom" in Spain after the EURO was introduced, but this "boom" suddenly stopped !!!  It went sour because  there were too many unsold flats and houses and unrepaid loans !!!

Big profits had been booked and but now big losses must be put through the accounts !!!

Today the 27 Leaders of the 27 Countries in the EU will meet to discuss the problem, although non-Euro countries are not concerned !!!  There is a growing anxiety that more Euro bail-out costs could hit the "EUROZONE", or even the EU !!!

How long will Germany and its politicians be prepared to underwrite the losses which stem from "inflation" and "unemployment" and "economic errors" in other "EUROZONE" countries ?  One should see this clearly. If a NON-eurozone country "becomes bankrupt", a "Bail-out" cannot be expected !!!   Sympathetic help, yes, but not a bail-out !!! 

The real test will be next year !!!  On the one hand there will be elections in Germany and that may decide the future of ANGELA MERKEL !!!  If she is no longer Chancellor, she will be replaced !!!  After all, President Hollande replaced Sarkozy !!! 

On the other hand there will also be elections in the EU !!!  All MEP's (Members of the European Parliament)  must be re-elected, but no Elector can count on the possibility that any one of them will do or say anything about the EURO crisis !!! The EU organization garanties this,  but the Lisbon Treaty must first be changed !!!    

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FIFA AT LAST HAS GOALLINE TECHNOLOGY, but this is a small step ... !!!

At last FIFA has decided to adopt "Goalline Technology", not just one system but two !!!  To get this far has taken years, in spite of other systems which have been operational in other sports for a long time.

This technology is limited to the area between the goal  posts and the crossbar.  The only question to be answered is:  "Did the whole of the ball cross the goalline ?".

Michel Platini, the UEFA President is opposed to introducing this technology and would prefer experiments with additional officials. Such experiments  will continue in fact.

The opinion of this Blog is that something more comprehensive could have been initiated by FIFA !!! Will this "technology" cover other important incidents which take place on the pitch and which the referee cannot always see properly ?  The answer is clearly " NO" !!!

This Blog has already urged the use of Video Replays which one sees regularly on television immediately when there is a "doubtful" incident.  The viewer can judge for himself whether the referee's decision was correct !!!

Mr Platini wants officials behind the Goal.  However, would it not be better to have two referees on the pitch, one in each half ?  This is the system in Ice Hockey, where the puck flies around so quickly and only one referee cannot keep up with the play !!!

Would a second referee have perhaps clearly seen the "Hand of God" incident by Maradonna in the 1986 World Cup match in Brazil ?  The new FIFA system does not cover such incidents and the many other flagrant incidents the referee never sees.

       

THE BANKS' "LIBOR RATE " SCANDAL !!!

First of all one must understand what the "Libor" rate really is.  LIBOR = London Inter Bank Offer Rate.  It is an interest rate which is fixed once every day at 11am London Time by Banks operating on the London Money Market !!!

LIBOR is in fact the "Overnight" interest rate for short term loans between Banks which enables Banks to "Window Dress" their accounts when they need to reduce temporarily the imbalance of "too high" outstanding loans,  given or received !!!

The Scandal which has just erupted concerning the LIBOR rate will be more fully explained during the coming days !!!  To-day it is too early to draw any "conclusions". 

What appears to be the case is that numerous people in the "know", both Politicians and Bankers at the highest levels, were well aware of "misdeeds" where rules were "conveniently bent" !!!  In fact when rules are bent, someone somewhere could be expected to be profiting and to be making money either for himself or his company, but at the expense of others !!! 

The real scandal of the matter is that these "irregularities started not just recently but at least five years ago when the Socialists were in power under the guidance of Blair and Brown !!!  This will also come to the fore shortly !!!

What now needs to be done ?  It is quite clear that legislation must be drafted to confront and limit City Bankers and Highflyers who are tempted to flout the rules.

In particular, all contracts concerning exceptional "remuneration" beyond the normal salaries of Bank Directors (and directors in other industries) should be officially filed and not be authorized as payable before the next AGM of the company concerned !!! 

Directors who commit "criminal" acts should be made to understand that they risk being sent for trial !!!

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DAILY EXPRESS "EXIT EU" CAMPAIGN IS BIASED !!!

For years the Daily Express has been desperately demanding a referendum on Britain's continued adhesion to the EU !!!  Everytime there is something that arises on the EU front, The Daily Express jumps in to claim that this is another example or reason why Britain "must" leave the EU, or that a "Referendum" must be organized !!!

The Daily Express campaign never takes into account, or comments on what Britain would lose if it left the EU !!!

Everyone in the EU, particularly when one is also in the "EUROZONE", is aware that the moment is coming when certain decisions which must be taken, can only be the responsibility of the "EUROZONE" countries. 

The Lisbon Treaty forsaw the EURO, but it did not forsee anything more !!!  It recognized that countries had their own currencies, like Britain and others, but these countries were responsible to protect their currencies !!!

Nothing has really changed for Britain !!!

When things get "hot", David Cameron and his team, will know that the time has come to have a Referendum !!!  One should not forget that Britain does a lot of trade with the EU !!!
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