M&S denies Kilroy mirrors claim

Anthony Butcher · 13-02-2007, 02:45 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6357035.stm

Quote:

Marks and Spencer has said it is mystified by a claim by MEP Robert Kilroy-Silk that it uses "distorting" mirrors in its changing rooms.
Mr Kilroy-Silk has accused the store of misleading women with mirrors that make them look slimmer in its clothes.

He made the allegation in a written question in the European Parliament.

An M&S spokesman said: "Our mirrors are perfectly normal, standard mirrors. We are at a loss as to what he might be referring to."

In his question, Mr Kilroy-Silk asked if it was "conceivable that within the millions of EU regulations covering virtually every aspect of life in the EU" there was not one that made it illegal for M&S to have mirrors that "deliberately distort women's shapes".

Meglena Kuneva, EU Commissioner for consumer protection, replied that the alleged practice "may fall under the scope of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, adopted on 11 May 2005".

'Subsidiarity'

But she advised Mr Kilroy-Silk to take up the issue with the "national authorities" in the UK.

"Under the Directive, a commercial practice will be considered unfair if it is contrary to the requirements of professional diligence and if it materially distorts the economic behaviour of the average member of the group of consumers to whom the practice is addressed.

"However, it remains the exclusive competence of national authorities and courts to apply the national laws implementing EU law, and to investigate the practices of a particular company in the light of EU consumer legislation, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity.

"The Commission would, therefore, suggest that the Honourable Member draws the attention of national authorities to this matter," Mrs Kuneva writes in her reply.

Mr Kilroy-Silk, who quit the UK Independence Party in 2004 following disagreements with its leadership, sits as an independent in Brussels and Strasbourg.

He was unavailable for comment.

eublues · 13-02-2007, 04:57 PM

This, together with his performance on Today today, does suggest that we got off lightly when Kilroy pulled out of UKIP. (I was prepared to back him at the time as our best hope.)

arden forester · 13-02-2007, 05:10 PM

What does he know about ladies' changing rooms in M & S? :roll: We need the veritas!

mkpdavies · 13-02-2007, 05:59 PM

He really has gone nuts.

Tom Wilde · 13-02-2007, 06:49 PM

Is Kilroy angling for leadership of the Surrealist Party?

There's a lot of it about, with This England spouting surrealist poetry on one of the other threads. Could be the sea-trout of the future.

Britannist · 13-02-2007, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eublues

This, together with his performance on Today today, does suggest that we got off lightly when Kilroy pulled out of UKIP. (I was prepared to back him at the time as our best hope.)

I backed him up to the point he started having a go at the leadership of UKIP in the media at the 2004 Bristol conference (only three and a half-months after he had become a UKIP MEP).

And I backed him to fight the EU - not to talk about mirrors at Marks and Spencer.

Britannist · 15-02-2007, 01:14 PM

Today's Telegraph includes a report about Kilroy and his comments over the mirrors at Marks and Spencer.

It includes the following (brief extracts) "Marks and Spencer was accused yesterday of using "distorting" mirrors in its changing rooms to make women look slimmer when they try on clothes. M&S insists its mirrors are 'perfectly normal, run-of-the-mill'. Robert Kilroy-Silk, a member of the European Parliament, called for the mirrors to be withdrawn after his wife and daughter claimed that they were misleading."

There's more on this at:

:arrow:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...fashion114.xml

22ANDUK · 15-02-2007, 02:20 PM

arden:

Quote:

What does he know about ladies' changing rooms in M & S? We need the veritas!

Lol.

I was intending going to make a joke about him looking even more orange or something!

13-02-2007, 05:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
arden forester Uber Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Solihull, in The Forest of Arden, Warwickshire! Posts: 2,662 Party: None	What does he know about ladies' changing rooms in M & S? :roll: We need the veritas! __________________ www.ardenforester.blogspot.com www.westminster-whispers.blogspot.com

13-02-2007, 05:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,820	He really has gone nuts. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

15-02-2007, 01:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
Britannist Uber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 22,896	Kilroy and comments about mirrors at Marks and Spencer Today's Telegraph includes a report about Kilroy and his comments over the mirrors at Marks and Spencer. It includes the following (brief extracts) "Marks and Spencer was accused yesterday of using "distorting" mirrors in its changing rooms to make women look slimmer when they try on clothes. M&S insists its mirrors are 'perfectly normal, run-of-the-mill'. Robert Kilroy-Silk, a member of the European Parliament, called for the mirrors to be withdrawn after his wife and daughter claimed that they were misleading." There's more on this at: :arrow: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...fashion114.xml

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13-02-2007, 04:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,100	This, together with his performance on Today today, does suggest that we got off lightly when Kilroy pulled out of UKIP. (I was prepared to back him at the time as our best hope.)

13-02-2007, 06:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
Tom Wilde Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: London. Posts: 2,886	Is Kilroy angling for leadership of the Surrealist Party? There's a lot of it about, with This England spouting surrealist poetry on one of the other threads. Could be the sea-trout of the future.