Allister Defiant Over President's Financial Penalty
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Allister defiant over President’s financial penalty Jim Allister MEP is among a group of MEPs punished by the President, Hans-Gert Pottering, for taking part in a demonstration in the Chamber in December 07, demanding national referenda on the Lisbon Treaty. Mr Allister has been subjected to a £600 fine. Commenting the Traditional Unionist MEP said:- "I'm not surprised by the President's vindictive action, not least because it is the product of a most flawed process in which Hans-Gert Pottering was both my accuser and my judge. Such defiance of the basic rules of natural justice is hardly likely to produce an equitable outcome. If the President thinks his punitive action will future, then he is sadly mistaken. If £600 is the subdue my demands, on behalf of my price of free speech in Strasbourg and of speaking constituents, for the right to vote on their own up for the people of the UK, then so be it! Whatever, the injustice done to the protesting MEPs, it pales into insignificance when compared with the great undemocratic injustice being done to the peoples of Europe by denying them a say on the radical changes in governance which the Lisbon Treaty will bring. I will exercise my right of appeal to the Bureau of the Parliament, both to expose the farcical nature of the President's process and to underscore my belief in my actions." Where were the DUP MPs? Given its vital constitutional importance, I am was an opportunity to demand the people be greatly disappointed that the MPs for North consulted, Iris Robinson, Jeffrey Donaldson and Antrim, Lagan Valley and Strangford did not Ian Paisley were absent. Why? trouble to go and vote in favour of a referendum on the Lisbon Indeed the poor level of Treaty in the House of Commons involvement by Northern Ireland on 5 March 2008. MPs, who are also MLAs, in the crucial debates on the Lisbon The Lisbon Treaty is going to Treaty over recent weeks, is strip away further national confirmation in itself of the powers to Brussels, something damage being inflicted on Ulster the British people do not want representation by dual mandates. and yet, shamefully, when there No pride can be taken in Paisley’s legacy "I have no doubt that Ian Paisley jumped before unrepentant terrorists at the heart of its he was pushed. It was very significant that when government and joint rule with a Party which Dublin and Sinn Fein raised the campaign "Paisley clings to a wicked Army Council and which still Must Stay", not a single DUP figure, apart from has a military wing, murdering as in the case of Baroness Paisley, publicly agreed. Ian Paisley was Paul Quinn. Sadly, this is Ian Paisley's political hung out to dry by the so called "pragmatists" in legacy to Ulster." the DUP because, frankly, he'd served his purpose, in that he delivered what no other DUP leader could deliver, a DUP/Sinn Fein coalition. Since the Dromore by-election the DUP has been in something of a blind panic and changing the guard was their answer. Of course, it is not the personalities, but the policies which need to change. No democrat or Unionist could take pride in a legacy which bequeathed to Northern Ireland Allister stoutly defends Israel in Strasbourg Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister has been internationally recognised state. It recognises and speaking in the European Parliament in accepts a two-state solution in the Middle East, Strasbourg on the renewed violence in the Middle and yet it is constantly, persistently and viciously East. During a debate on the situation in Gaza, subjected to the most horrendous violence from he stoutly defended Israel and its right to defend across its borders, particularly from Hamas- itself from terrorist rocket attacks. controlled territory. In the course of his remarks, Mr Allister said:- I therefore make no apology, from my perspective, of saying that Israel does have the “Mr President, I can readily join in deploring the right, indeed the necessity, to defend itself and recent events in Gaza and the Middle East and in to act against those who, beyond reason and remarking on how terrible is the humanitarian argument, will not even make the most basic tragedy there and the immense suffering that all concession of accepting the right of Israel to sides are being subjected to. But I have to draw a exist. distinction between the orchestrated, constant, repeated attacks upon the State of Israel and the We hear much talk in this debate and elsewhere right of that State to defend itself. It is an about a balanced and even-handed approach. There is nothing even-handed in equating, no matter how justified they are, the political demands of Gaza with the vicious and repeated terrorist attacks on Israel as epitomised by the attack on the school. There is nothing even- handed in equivocating over Hamas’s refusal to recognise Israel and then demanding that no walls, no defensive action should be taken by the state that is not even recognised. It is a consequence of that failure to recognise the right of Israel to exist which has bred so much of the trouble and turmoil in the Middle East." All editions of the monthly newsletter ‘Brussels Briefing’ are available to download at my website, www.jimallister.org There, you can also sign up to receive each new edition, either by post or by e-mail. Gildernew blocking Fisheries Aid Jim Allister QC MEP has pledged full support to navigation aids, and excessive harbour dues.” fishermen, who recently lobbied at Stormont, particularly over spiralling fuel costs. “EU de Minimis State Aid rules permit up to 7500 Euros of aid, per fisherman to be allocated for The MEP said, assistance with such crises situations as we have “Fishermen have seen their primary operational today. Michelle Gildernew cannot blame Europe cost –namely fuel for trawlers rocket to £4000 per for her inaction in this case, which unsurprisingly week, while there has not been the same ability follows her weak performance at the December to recover costs from the market. This is on top Fisheries Negotiations in Europe. These factors of other ‘stealth taxes’, such as payments to the combined are contributing to fishermen's woes”. Irish Light Commission for largely outdated MEP protests intended gagging of MEPs At a meeting of the European Parliament's anti-democratic forces that drive European Constitutional Affairs Committee in Brussels, centralisation are now in the business of gagging Traditional Unionist MEP, Jim Allister, protested elected members." against a proposal to restrict MEPs to 3 Written Parliamentary Questions per month. Mr Allister challenged Commission Vice-President Margot Wallstrom as to whether the Commission The proposal is being made by British Labour MEP, was driving this proposal to restrict Richard Corbett, as the rapporteur on proposals parliamentarians. She denied that and by a Working Party on Parliamentary Reform. contradicted a claim in Mr Corbett's report that the Commission has strongly complained about Describing the proposal as "a monstrous attempt the number of Questions. This caused Mr Allister to gag elected members in the performance of to challenge Corbett as to why his report made their duties on behalf of constituents", Mr Allister this claim. said no other Parliament, worthy of the name, would ever contemplate such an anti-democratic It is expected that a lively debate will ensue as proposal. "Thus", declared the Ulster MEP, "far the recommendation proceeds through committee from the Reform Treaty enhancing parliamentary and the plenary of the Parliament. democracy, as claimed by its proponents, the Ideal opportunity to address flawed legislation Commenting on reports that legislation to the courts in order to defend their decision. approve the new victims’ commission is to be rushed through Stormont, Traditional Unionist “However, moves to amend legislation so as to MEP Jim Allister said: provide for the establishment of the Commission provide Unionists with the ideal opportunity to “The post of Victims’ Commissioner was created address a fundament flaw in the Victims and under the terms of the Victims and Survivors Survivors Order namely the definition of the term (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. In order for the “victim”. The law defines a victim as anyone new Victims Commission to become official this affected by “a conflict-related incident”. Thus order must be amended to turn the post of the IRA terrorist killed by his own bomb is put on commissioner into a commission. the same level as the innocent victim murdered at Enniskillen, Omagh, Teeban or Kingsmill. “The inability of the joint First Ministers to agree a single appointee has resulted in huge additional “It has been alleged that Unionists now run cost – all four commissioners will be paid the full Stormont. Here is the ideal opportunity for the £65,000 salary for a job originally designed for DUP to display their control. Let’s see them one person. amend the definition of victim. However, I expect that the DUP are unlikely to even propose such an “It is also evident that – to put it mildly - the amendment because it will expose the fact that commission has no confidence within the victims’ Sinn Fein/IRA can block whatever proposals they sector with OFMDFM fighting 15 victims groups in want." “Scowl, don’t smile”, says new DUP Ministerial Code Addressing South Antrim TUV Association, Jim and you see a camera “scowl, don’t smile, never Allister MEP said that though on the scene a very look happy. Don’t say cheese, say Dromore – that short time TUV has already had a huge impact on will wipe the smile off your face.” politics in the Province.