“Surprised” this hasn’t been picked up on

[Ldr]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63941509

[tyke1962]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63941509

Nar surely not , not the sacred cow that is the EU .

Fake news .

 

[scawsby steve]

Well, well, well. Totally reinforces my view that they're all the same.

My old grandad always used to say that every man has his price. Or woman in this case.

Please don't tell Sydney this. He'll be suicidal.

[Branton Red]

Per the BBC: -

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the accusations were "very serious" and called for greater democratic accountability the creation of a new EU ethics body [of wholly unelected Eurocrats].

[Bentley Bullet]

#Is there a fire drill?
  Is there a fire drill?
  Is there a fire drill?
  Is there a fire drill? #

[SydneyRover]

705 MEPs 4 are facing corruption charges, not good but over the life of the European Parliament I wonder what the % is? not exactly a breakdown in society aye?

[BillyStubbsTears]

705 MEPs 4 are facing corruption charges, not good but over the life of the European Parliament I wonder what the % is? not exactly a breakdown in society aye?

Precisely.

The culprits will, I'm sure, have suitable criminal action taken against them.

Whereas Lady Mone is going to face...what exactly? And not a dicky bird of complaint about that from our Tory fan boys in here.

Almost as if criminality and immorality doesn't matter if it's on the side you support...

[scawsby steve]

705 MEPs 4 are facing corruption charges, not good but over the life of the European Parliament I wonder what the % is? not exactly a breakdown in society aye?

Precisely.

The culprits will, I'm sure, have suitable criminal action taken against them.

Whereas Lady Mone is going to face...what exactly? And not a dicky bird of complaint about that from our Tory fan boys in here.

Almost as if criminality and immorality doesn't matter if it's on the side you support...

I'm curious, BST. Who are the Tory fan boys in here? I doubt that there's many in here that have ever voted Tory in their lives.

[Bentley Bullet]

So, 1 MEP in 176.25 MEPs is facing corruption charges. That's like 37 unruly fans being chucked out of the ECO-Power stadium during an averagely attended league game this season.

I bet if that were to happen it'd be called a breakdown in society on this very forum!

[SydneyRover]

And?

[Bentley Bullet]

And, I wonder what % of the public would want the club shutting down?

[SydneyRover]

what?

[Sprotyrover]

4 is the 'Tip of The Iceberg'

[SydneyRover]

4 is the 'Tip of The Iceberg'

It ruins a good whiskey

[Branton Red]

Sadly this scandal almost certainly goes way beyond just the 4 MEPs arrested so far.

12 others have had their apartments searched and are so under suspicion with more searches expected.

The IT-resources of 10 EU parliament employees have been "frozen" to prevent the disappearance of data necessary for the investigation.

This looks like a widespread corruption scandal involving several officials (including at least one of a very high profile) taking monies from a foreign government who were seeking to influence law making decisions.

This, potentially, looks very serious indeed.

This is the danger of having law making institutions so designed that lobbyists have much more influence than ordinary folk at the ballot box.

[normal rules]

Democracy alive and well at the highest level of the EU.

[SydneyRover]

Sadly this scandal almost certainly goes way beyond just the 4 MEPs arrested so far.

12 others have had their apartments searched and are so under suspicion with more searches expected.

The IT-resources of 10 EU parliament employees have been "frozen" to prevent the disappearance of data necessary for the investigation.

This looks like a widespread corruption scandal involving several officials (including at least one of a very high profile) taking monies from a foreign government who were seeking to influence law making decisions.

This, potentially, looks very serious indeed.

This is the danger of having law making institutions so designed that lobbyists have much more influence than ordinary folk at the ballot box.

Wouldn't it be nice to have the tory party held to such scrutiny

[Bentley Bullet]

Democracy alive and well at the highest level of the EU.

Vote them out!

.....Hang on a minute........

[SydneyRover]

And the headlines from the OPs link suggest that it will be taken seriously, no?

''EU corruption scandal puts democracy under attack - European Parliament head''

''The president of the European Parliament has warned that "European democracy is under attack", following allegations that Qatar bribed EU officials to win influence.

Roberta Metsola said that "open, free, democratic societies are under attack"

So it won't be up to an internal inquiry or at the whim of a corrupt PM, nor has anyone resigned from their post and not been replaced that could hold anyone to account aye?

[danumdon]

I don't think this lot have learnt any lessons from history. Lobbyists have always had an open season with the MEP's.

https://www.brusselstimes.com/32741/5-of-the-largest-eu-scandals-in-our-history

We know this is not exclusive to the EU and our own parliament has many episodes to account for but when you look at how open the MEP's are to this type of corruption and after the previous scandal when the whole of the Santer commission had to resign due to corruption. It just reinforces the belief that this whole talking shop is set up and ripe to be exploited by its own members and their greed.

They are serving themselves before an notion of serving their constituents.

[Branton Red]

And the headlines from the OPs link suggest that it will be taken seriously, no?

''EU corruption scandal puts democracy under attack - European Parliament head''

''The president of the European Parliament has warned that "European democracy is under attack", following allegations that Qatar bribed EU officials to win influence.

Roberta Metsola said that "open, free, democratic societies are under attack"

So it won't be up to an internal inquiry or at the whim of a corrupt PM, nor has anyone resigned from their post and not been replaced that could hold anyone to account aye?

Of course they're saying this is being taken seriously. Belgian police have arrested 4 MEPs having found 600k of Euro notes in their possession, have searched 12 other apartments, ordered 10 EU employees have their computers frozen to prevent any attempted cover up and found a link  between the cash and a foreign government.

They have no choice but to take it seriously

There is really no equivalence to anything recently in the UK Parliament.

[Branton Red]

I don't think this lot have learnt any lessons from history. Lobbyists have always had an open season with the MEP's.

https://www.brusselstimes.com/32741/5-of-the-largest-eu-scandals-in-our-history

We know this is not exclusive to the EU and our own parliament has many episodes to account for but when you look at how open the MEP's are to this type of corruption and after the previous scandal when the whole of the Santer commission had to resign due to corruption. It just reinforces the belief that this whole talking shop is set up and ripe to be exploited by its own members and their greed.

They are serving themselves before an notion of serving their constituents.

Excellently put.

[SydneyRover]

Yes there are problems, but the systems in place in the European Parliament appear to be more resilient in monitoring and acting with examples of corruption and goes no way into any implication that any baby need to be thrown out with the bath water.

Unlike the UK government that rules by whim and favour, there needs to be a constitution and fixed regime controls in place to which the government of the day is answerable, not in place to overrule democracy but to enforce and act upon corrupt practices. AN overarching ICAC would do it.

[BillyStubbsTears]

And the headlines from the OPs link suggest that it will be taken seriously, no?

''EU corruption scandal puts democracy under attack - European Parliament head''

''The president of the European Parliament has warned that "European democracy is under attack", following allegations that Qatar bribed EU officials to win influence.

Roberta Metsola said that "open, free, democratic societies are under attack"

So it won't be up to an internal inquiry or at the whim of a corrupt PM, nor has anyone resigned from their post and not been replaced that could hold anyone to account aye?

Of course they're saying this is being taken seriously. Belgian police have arrested 4 MEPs having found 600k of Euro notes in their possession, have searched 12 other apartments, ordered 10 EU employees have their computers frozen to prevent any attempted cover up and found a link  between the cash and a foreign government.

They have no choice but to take it seriously

There is really no equivalence to anything recently in the UK Parliament.

No. We're much more sophisticated.

In Britain, the way it works is that a member of the Lords lobbies Government friends for a contract for a company that has zero prior experience in the field.

The company gets a £250m contract.

The company supplies a sub-standard service. But still gets paid the full whack.

Turns out the company is owned by the original lobbyist's husband.

And then the company pays £29m into her offshore account.

As you say. Branton, the EU issue, shocking and wrong as it is (and it is, I would flay the f**kers alive who have done this) really doesn't compare to what goes on in the British Government.

[Branton Red]

Yes there are problems, but the systems in place in the European Parliament appear to be more resilient in monitoring and acting with examples of corruption and goes no way into any implication that any baby need to be thrown out with the bath water.

Unlike the UK government that rules by whim and favour, there needs to be a constitution and fixed regime controls in place to which the government of the day is answerable, not in place to overrule democracy but to enforce and act upon corrupt practices. AN overarching ICAC would do it.

Firstly it's an investigation by the Belgian police that has led to these arrests and the uncovering of this potentially very serious corruption scandal - not an EU internal investigation. Which undermines your point about the EU being resilient in monitoring/acting on corruption.

Secondly when was the last time a number of UK MPs, of any party, were alleged en masse to be involved in an equivalent co-ordinated corruption offence whereby they were allegedly taking monies from a foreign government to influence law making??

You're drawing false equivalences and thereby constructing false comparatives to defend a) what appears to be far more than a 'problem' and b) an institution you appear to be ideologically bound to. 

[Branton Red]

No. We're much more sophisticated.

In Britain, the way it works is that a member of the Lords lobbies Government friends for a contract for a company that has zero prior experience in the field.

The company gets a £250m contract.

The company supplies a sub-standard service. But still gets paid the full whack.

Turns out the company is owned by the original lobbyist's husband.

And then the company pays £29m into her offshore account.

As you say. Branton, the EU issue, shocking and wrong as it is (and it is, I would flay the f**kers alive who have done this) really doesn't compare to what goes on in the British Government.

I would have the "Lady" in question flayed alive also. What she has done appears to be reprehensible.

Are you really drawing an equivalence to one rogue Parliamentarian (disgustingly as it was) taking advantage of her position and a crisis to feather her own nest to seemingly/potentially dozens of officials coordinating together to influence laws at the behest of a foreign government in return for cash. Really? Really?? Honestly really???!

PS I'm just as much against the democratically unaccountable House of Lords (see my comments/approval for Labour's latest policy on replacing it) as I am against the democratically unaccountable EU. As I've shown in numerous posts I'm nothing but consistent in this area.

[SydneyRover]

Yes there are problems, but the systems in place in the European Parliament appear to be more resilient in monitoring and acting with examples of corruption and goes no way into any implication that any baby need to be thrown out with the bath water.

Unlike the UK government that rules by whim and favour, there needs to be a constitution and fixed regime controls in place to which the government of the day is answerable, not in place to overrule democracy but to enforce and act upon corrupt practices. AN overarching ICAC would do it.

Firstly it's an investigation by the Belgian police that has led to these arrests and the uncovering of this potentially very serious corruption scandal - not an EU internal investigation. Which undermines your point about the EU being resilient in monitoring/acting on corruption.

Secondly when was the last time a number of UK MPs, of any party, were alleged en masse to be involved in an equivalent co-ordinated corruption offence whereby they were allegedly taking monies from a foreign government to influence law making??

You're drawing false equivalences and thereby constructing false comparatives to defend a) what appears to be far more than a 'problem' and b) an institution you appear to be ideologically bound to.

I accept the correction regarding the investigation regarding the Belgian police, and yes it is still an investigation no guilty verdicts as yet Branton.

What happened to the 'en masse' that resigned in the end?

[danumdon]

Yes there are problems, but the systems in place in the European Parliament appear to be more resilient in monitoring and acting with examples of corruption and goes no way into any implication that any baby need to be thrown out with the bath water.

Unlike the UK government that rules by whim and favour, there needs to be a constitution and fixed regime controls in place to which the government of the day is answerable, not in place to overrule democracy but to enforce and act upon corrupt practices. AN overarching ICAC would do it.

Firstly it's an investigation by the Belgian police that has led to these arrests and the uncovering of this potentially very serious corruption scandal - not an EU internal investigation. Which undermines your point about the EU being resilient in monitoring/acting on corruption.

Secondly when was the last time a number of UK MPs, of any party, were alleged en masse to be involved in an equivalent co-ordinated corruption offence whereby they were allegedly taking monies from a foreign government to influence law making??

You're drawing false equivalences and thereby constructing false comparatives to defend a) what appears to be far more than a 'problem' and b) an institution you appear to be ideologically bound to. 

I would not be surprised to eventually find out that this Belgian police investigation has materialised due to the "cooperation of other MEP's"

I wonder if they felt "left out and overlooked" if this is the case what's the betting the German one comes out with something along the lines of the commission worked together to root out the corruption.

[SydneyRover]

Branton just to put things straight, I am not ideologically bound to anything ........ being permanent that is, I prefer to accept change ............ for the better, I vote and support those that would give voice to the masses the majority but do also accept that perfection is not going to happen anytime soon anywhere. I support the framework of the EU and its evolution into what it is at present, but you could point out many things I guess in isolation that given an option I would not support.

If that means I am ideologically bound to the concept of the EU in your eyes then I have to accept that too. If we are evolving into a discussion about the pros and cons of the EU I am still awaiting your answer on those bits of the EU that were forced upon the UK that undermine UK sovereignty.

[ravenrover]

No. We're much more sophisticated.

In Britain, the way it works is that a member of the Lords lobbies Government friends for a contract for a company that has zero prior experience in the field.

The company gets a £250m contract.

The company supplies a sub-standard service. But still gets paid the full whack.

Turns out the company is owned by the original lobbyist's husband.

And then the company pays £29m into her offshore account.

As you say. Branton, the EU issue, shocking and wrong as it is (and it is, I would flay the f**kers alive who have done this) really doesn't compare to what goes on in the British Government.

I would have the "Lady" in question flayed alive also. What she has done appears to be reprehensible.

Are you really drawing an equivalence to one rogue Parliamentarian (disgustingly as it was) taking advantage of her position and a crisis to feather her own nest to seemingly/potentially dozens of officials coordinating together to influence laws at the behest of a foreign government in return for cash. Really? Really?? Honestly really???!

PS I'm just as much against the democratically unaccountable House of Lords (see my comments/approval for Labour's latest policy on replacing it) as I am against the democratically unaccountable EU. As I've shown in numerous posts I'm nothing but consistent in this area.

BR one rogue?, it appears from reports that she is the tip of the iceberg