marcus

Bungs and bravado
Friday, 16 May 2008

It has been called merely a "tidying-up exercise" and a project necessary to "simplify" the EU, yet already the Lisbon Treaty is already costing millions of euros.

At the European Parliament alone, 65 new jobs are required just to help political groups understand the treaty. In addition, €2 million of taxpayers' money is being sought by officials to cover additional costs the treaty will throw up.

This, bear in mind, is all being approved before the document is ratified in the UK and before the people of Ireland have had their say in the only referendum throughout the EU.

On the subject of the sole referendum, the EU has another trick up its sleeve to encourage the Irish to vote "yes": the promise of €40 million funding.

What a surprise. We have the last plenary session before the Irish vote in the only referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and the EU wants to announce that it's giving Ireland huge amounts of money.

In the eyes of the EU, this Treaty is a done deal. The funding is being prepared, it's already being included in legislation and in a few weeks time they'll be talking about who the president will be. And all this before the UK has ratified and the Irish have had their say.

You don't need millions to work out that this treaty is the cornerstone of a new superstate and they will push ahead with it regardless.

Welcome to the tidied-up and simplified European Union.