Dec 2nd 2009 - Brussels Commentary Employment Committee

Brussels Commentary       Employment Committee    Dec 1st - 2nd 2009

I missed the first half day of committee this time due to attending a lunch in London on Tuesday. This was to hear an address by Ian Plimer, Professor of Geology at Adelaide University. Time well spent as anyone who had read his full page article in the Mail on Sunday this week would suppose. He rebuts global warming theories with a clarity and authority so easily understood and he dealt with the aggressive lady from "Sky", -obviously up on cloud 9-, with ease.

By the way, since I am returning home this afternoon I will miss tomorrow's special dinner specifically arranged to eat meat. No doubt that great thinker and global warming expert from the Beatles would disapprove of my reply to the organisers. I said I would be with them in spirit, looking for ward to a steak on Sunday and to Turkey at Christmas. "Did I", I asked, "need a special permit from some other weirdo group to allow me to wash my turkey down with a bottle of burgundy?"       

That left Wednesday morning where the committee heard all about the "Jobs Crisis".  It was instructive to hear the commission representative's summing up. Apparently, Government responses are undermining labour supply. Governments are allowing the unemployed to drift into long term unemployment, early retirement schemes do not free up jobs for youth and it seems that older workers drift into sickness and disability programs.

You could not have worked out any of that for yourselves could you? But don't worry, the EU has set up a special committee to deal with the jobs crisis.

Derek Clark   MEP                                             

Brussels Dec 2nd 2009