This week, Jeremy Corbyn comes to town, MEP expenses ruling raises a frown, and MP lemon tweet is totally shot down.
Today we are supported by Cefic, more about them at the end.
On Thursday British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn came to town amid fears of a no-deal Brexit.
Daniel Boffey says he heard that meetings between Corbyn and Michel Barnier were initiated by the EU side.
Understand that today’s meetings between Jeremy Corbyn and Michel Barnier/Martin Selmayr we’re initiated by the EU side with concerns growing over a no deal Brexit. https://t.co/SHI6lJ9EmK
— Daniel Boffey (@DanielBoffey) September 27, 2018
But that’s not the story from fellow Guardian hack Jennifer Rankin. “The European Commission did not ask to meet Jeremy Corbyn. Requests for a meeting said to have come from Labour,” she reported.
The European commission did not ask to meet Jeremy Corbyn today, I hear.
Request for a meeting said to have come from Labour. Corbyn and Keir Starmer are in Brussels for the inauguration of Jo Cox Square.
— Jennifer Rankin (@JenniferMerode) September 27, 2018
Corbyn was in town to pay tribute to murdered MP Jo Cox at an official unveiling of a square named in her honour.
Jeremy Corbyn pays tribute to Jo Cox at official unveiling of square in Brussels named in her honour. He says: 'She lived her life to make lives better for everyone else. She loved her time in Brussels, she loved the spirit and the music and the internationalism.' pic.twitter.com/nx5RBpE5s3
— David Churchill (@David_Churchill) September 27, 2018
But the biggest mystery was whether or not Corbyn would meet Commission svengali Martin Selmayr. Chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas said there was no meeting he was aware of.
How very odd, said Bruno Waterfield. Others – in Corbyn’s office – seem to think the meeting is on.
I am not aware of a meeting with @MartinSelmayr, said @MargSchinas. There is no meeting that I know of. How very odd
— Bruno Waterfield (@BrunoBrussels) September 27, 2018
James Crisp took the direct approach tweeting directly at Corbyn and Selmayr to ask are are going to meet? Why or why not?
.@MartinSelmayr – could you please clarify if you are going to meet @jeremycorbyn today? Or if you were? And why you are not, if you are not?
Many thanks – would be most helpful.
— James Crisp (@JamesCrisp6) September 27, 2018
Spoof account Martini Seltzermayr said, “calm down everyone, I was just looking for some jam-making tips.”
Calm down everyone, I was just looking for some jam-making tips https://t.co/SlgJdUFTBD
— Martini Seltzermayr (@mseltzermayr) September 27, 2018
On Tuesday, the European Court of Justice ruled to keep details of MEP expenses secret. Transparency International, and dozens of others, found the decision hugely disappointing.
#BREAKING: Hugely disappointing European Court of Justice ruling allows the @Europarl_EN to keep details of MEP expenses secret and hidden from journalists, civil society and citizens. https://t.co/3bdIVpYTH6
— Transparency Int. EU (@TI_EU) September 25, 2018
Martin Daubney went further calling it “grotesque”. Each MEP can claim €4000 a month without showing receipts. According to Daubney, a third claim for offices that don’t have addresses.
The EU again blocks requests for MEP expenses to be made public. Each can claim €4000/month with no receipts or proof. 1/3 claim for offices that don’t have addresses. This costs €500million/year of tax payers money. It’s grotesque pic.twitter.com/YUuqLaFO4T
— Martin Daubney (@MartinDaubney) September 26, 2018
The CJEU decided that data protection outweighs revealing detailed MEP expenses explained Michael Veale. Redacting personal data would render documents useless and would take disproportionate effort said the court.
CJEU say data protection (95) outweighs revealing detailed MEP expenses:
– legitimate interests against release, extra detail not req for adequate review
– to redact personal data would render docs useless (unlinkable) & would take disproportionate efforthttps://t.co/8JJGgH7rHl pic.twitter.com/ftL3gCOws6— Michael Veale (@mikarv) September 26, 2018
But MEP Molly Scott Cato said the shameful secrecy around public money undermines faith in EU. “We’re campaigning for greater openness, but the right wing opposes it.”
Details of MEPs’ €4,416-a-month expenses to remain secret, court rules
Shameful secrecy around public money undermines faith in EU. We’re campaigning for greater openness but right wing oppose it.
Great work by my friend and colleague @HeidiHautala https://t.co/IocSNG4o3c
— Molly Scott Cato MEP (@MollyMEP) September 26, 2018
But in case you thought that was the biggest court case of the week, eagle-eyed Jack Schickler spotted this important legal news: on Thursday the court ruled on whether an Australian company can copyright the shape of a kangaroo.
In case you missed this important legal news, today the EU's highest court has ruled on whether an Australian company can copyright the shape of a kangaroo. NB: CONTAINS PICTURES. https://t.co/Vkr3TSGajX pic.twitter.com/8AZThBb0jJ
— Jack Schickler (@jackschickler) September 27, 2018
Exciting times! Finally, “If life gives you lemons, make an ass of yourself”.
"If life gives you lemons, make an ass of yourself" https://t.co/ET8wZ8uSd7
— American EU Dude (@AmericanEUDude) September 25, 2018
At least that’s what American EU Dude thought after British Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski claimed lemons would be cheaper after Brexit. Tweeting a picture of himself in Tescos, the hapless MP wrongly claimed an “EU protectionist racket means inefficient EU growers preferred to other non-EU growers.”
Now at Tescos in Shrewsbury. Please remember EU protectionist racket means inefficient EU growers preferred to other non EU Mediterranean growers,due to massive tariffs imposed by EU. This leads to you paying more for your products! No more after March 2019! #Brexit pic.twitter.com/XHBePeDJNy
— Daniel Kawczynski (@DKShrewsbury) September 22, 2018
This led Jim Cornelius to school him on the EU tariffs system in the greatest take down in Twitter history that received a whopping 10 thousand likes.
HI Daniel. I zoomed in on your photo, and couldn't see clearly – but – at this time of year, almost certainly, those lemons are imported from South Africa. They come in on a 0% tariff under the entry price system.
Here's some from Aldi. pic.twitter.com/cMsfAaaqYY
— Jim Cornelius???? #WATON (@Jim_Cornelius) September 24, 2018
Steve Analyst account suggested Kawczynski might want to delete the tweet. “Or you can leave it there for the amusement future generations will get from it.”
You might want to delete this tweet now, Daniel. Or you can leave it there for the comedy value future generations will get from it.
— Steve Analyst (@EmporersNewC) September 24, 2018
Indeed, Deborah from Shrewsbury thinks his constituents only voted him in because of his comedy value.
He's so funny – I'm told his constituents only voted him in because of his comedy value.
— Deborah Shrewsbury (@shrewdkitty) September 25, 2018
This week we are sponsored by Cefic, the European Chemical Industry Council. Find out how research and innovation can develop solutions that help combat climate change by following the hashtag #ChemistryCan.
The chemical industry is fully committed to #ParisAgreement. In fact, we put our research&innovation capacity to develop solutions that can help combat #climatechange. How? Read more: https://t.co/UgRwO7qkLS #chemistrycan pic.twitter.com/FOMtzLz1SE
— Cefic (@Cefic) September 26, 2018
And that’s it for this week! Join me again next Friday for more japes and scrapes in the Brussels Bubble Twittersphere.