Mr 7% - Clegg caught out on his lies yet again, this time by HIMSELF

**-:Undertaker:-** · 10-05-2014, 09:57 PM

Remember when the EU Debates between Clegg and Farage were taking place, and Clegg claimed that the amount of EU law that is produced is only a mere 7%? He cited a House of Commons report, which upon inspection, actually said around 50% of our laws come from the EU. But that didn't stop him trying to peddle that falsehood.

Well this has been doing the rounds on Twitter and even better, it's not the actual report that Clegg cites that has proven him wrong - it's his own words, back in 2003 when he was an MEP in an article he wrote for the Guardian newspaper.

And that's not to mention that since the Lisbon Treaty (2007), huge swathes of power have since been transferred to Brussels.

Mr 7%.

The irony and pleasing thing I guess though is that the Liberal Democrats are now polling 7%. Checkmate.

**The Don** · 10-05-2014, 10:14 PM

The actual report, which we've discussed before, said between 7-50%. So Clegg was equally as right as you are now, since you both are choosing either end of the two extremes. Either way, it's a far way away from the 70% number Farage pulled out of god knows where.

**Kyle** · 10-05-2014, 10:34 PM

why are u we digging up something he said over 10 years ago it's not like the lib dems are even a threat to ukip leave poor cleggy alone

**GommeInc** · 10-05-2014, 10:41 PM

There's no way it is 7% and there's no way it is 50%. This year only about 25% are EU based, the majority are domestic and are in fact beating EU based laws to the peg which won't be passed yet - the Consumer Rights Bill is one example which repeals and "repairs" an EU Regulation which is out dated. So saying half is about as useful as 7%.

**-:Undertaker:-** · 10-05-2014, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by The Don

The actual report, which we've discussed before, said between 7-50%. So Clegg was equally as right as you are now, since you both are choosing either end of the two extremes. Either way, it's a far way away from the 70% number Farage pulled out of god knows where.

I've always said it's 50% to 75% (based on a German Federal report).

Clegg has been caught out. And I recall the HoL report saying 7% intially only for primary legislation?

Originally Posted by Kyle

why are u we digging up something he said over 10 years ago it's not like the lib dems are even a threat to ukip leave poor cleggy alone

Because he's a two faced disgrace.

But then again, at least he had the guts to debate the topic... unlike dumb and dumber.

Originally Posted by GommeInc

There's no way it is 7% and there's no way it is 50%. This year only about 25% are EU based, the majority are domestic and are in fact beating EU based laws to the peg which won't be passed yet - the Consumer Rights Bill is one example which repeals and "repairs" an EU Regulation which is out dated. So saying half is about as useful as 7%.

From what I have read, apparently come this November huge swathes of powers will be transferred via Lisbon as QMV comes in then.

**GommeInc** · 10-05-2014, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by -:Undertaker:-

From what I have read, apparently come this November huge swathes of powers will be transferred via Lisbon as QMV comes in then.

Haven't heard of this but might do next academic year. What powers are these exactly?

**-:Undertaker:-** · 11-05-2014, 01:33 AM

Originally Posted by GommeInc

Haven't heard of this but might do next academic year. What powers are these exactly?

The way voting works means we'll be left with even less power than we have now over a huge number of areas:

Originally Posted by Calling England

Here it is, in all its sobering 'glory': On 1st November 2014 the following areas of competence will switch from requiring unanimous approval of all member states to qualified majority voting only:

Initiatives of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Administrative co-operation – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Asylum – Nice: QMV; Lisbon: QMV
Border controls – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Citizens' initiative regulations – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Civil protection – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Committee of the Regions – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Common defence policy – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Crime prevention incentives – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Criminal judicial co-operation – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Criminal law – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Culture – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Diplomatic & Consular protection – Nice: Unanimity Lisbon: QMV
Economic & Social Committee – Nice: QMV Lisbon: QMV
Emergency international aid – Nice: Unanimity Lisbon: QMV
Energy – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
EU budget – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Eurojust – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
European Central Bank – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
European Court of Justice – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Europol – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Eurozone external representation – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Foreign Affairs High Representative election – Lisbon: QMV
Freedom of movement for workers – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Freedom to establish a business – Nice: Unanimity Lisbon QMV
Freedom, security, justice, co-operation & evaluation – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Funding the Common Foreign & Security Policy – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
General economic interest services – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Humanitarian aid – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Immigration – Nice: QMV; Lisbon: QMV
Intellectual property – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Organisation of the Council of the EU – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Police co-operation – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
President of the European Council election – Lisbon: QMV
Response to natural disasters & terrorism – Lisbon: QMV
Rules concerning the Armaments Agency – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Self-employment access rights – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Social Security Unanimity – Nice: QMV; Lisbon: QMV
Space – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Sport – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Structural & Cohension Funds – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Tourism – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Transport – Nice: Unanimity; Lisbon: QMV
Withdrawal of a member state – Lisbon: QMV

http://www.callingengland.net/p/neve...ll-em-lie.html
http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk...time-bomb.html

Originally Posted by OpenEurope

Lisbon Treaty ticking time bomb

This should send alarm bells ringing in No 10: As the Sunday Telegraph noted, in a forthcoming report this week, we'll be pointing to the concerning fact that, in future, the UK and other non-eurozone members could be left in a permanent minority in the Council of Ministers - the EU's key forum for decision-making.

This time bomb will detonate as early as 2014, potentially allowing the Eurozone to bulldoze over the interests of those outside the Single Currency. This could have a major impact on the UK’s ability to influence, for example, EU rules affecting the City of London or the wider single market.

Here is how it could happen:

The Lisbon Treaty, in addition to expanding qualified majority voting (QMV), substituted the current voting weights in the Council with new ones based on the population sizes of the member states. These new rules are not yet in force – they come into force in November 2014 (with an option for a state to request a vote follows the old rules until April 2017 - which the UK may well want to take). In addition to changing the voting weights, to the benefit of the larger more populous states, the rules also reduce the qualified majority required to pass an EU law from 71% to 65%.

These two measures mean that the UK will no longer be able to muster a blocking minority with the help of smaller non-eurozone states if the 17 eurozone members vote as a 'caucus'.

Under the new rules a group of states needs votes from countries representing 65% of the EU population – the eurozone as a whole already have 66% on their own, giving them a permanent inbuilt majority if they vote together as a caucus (not accounting for Croatia joining the EU, or Greece leaving the euro, for example). Now, it may be that the eurozone will not be able to pull together and vote as one - will the Dutch and Slovaks, for example, agree with the Greeks or Portuguese?

But, given the horse-trading and backroom deals that form an integral part of EU decision-making - and the incentive for the eurozone to reach a common position on a number of issues, as it integrates further to deal with the eurozone crisis - clearly, this is worrying for the UK and other 'outs'. Due to moves towards further fiscal integration in the eurozone, this could prove particularly relevant to eurozone measures relating to financial regulation.

As we've noted before, the status quo is not an option for the UK government.

If we felt powerless and that the EU was distant and undemocratic as it is now, just wait until this hits us.

And yet none of them will discuss what this is all really about. Huge areas of policy given over without any democratic mandate.