Hey, Europe! Leave them kids alone!

"Give me the child until he is seven, and I will show you the man", the old saying says.

Well, the EU appear to have taken this on board. The Gateway to the European Union website, run by the Commission is packed full of exciting fun games to "Make Europe Fun".

This is nothing short of a blatant attempt to brainwash kids into thinking that the EU is cuddly and fun. Taxpayers money is being spent on propaganda aimed at kids, at exactly the same time that the European Parliament is about to reject calls for product placement because it is too underhand, and may unduly influence minors...

The website isn't a total loss, however. There is one good bit !

Mannekin Pis

fortresseu@gmail.com

One Seat: update

OneSeat , the campaign to rid Europe of the insane monthly trek to Strasbourg (see many posts below) is nearing it's goal of 1 million signatures. Fortress reckons at the current rate they should be home and dry in the next few weeks. The main players are Cecilia Malmstrom , Chris Heaton-Harris and and Alexander Alvaro .

Fortress hears rumours that they were spotted meeting last week in Strasbourg, plotting what to do when the figure reached the maguc 1 million mark. What will be probably more interesting is what the Commission's response is.

Here are some extracts from the Draft European Constitution:

"No less than one million citizens coming from a significant number of Member States may invite the Commission to submit any appropriate proposal"

"A European law shall determine the provisions for the specific procedures and conditions required for such a citizens' initiative."

So, will the Commission keep Strasbourg, and ignore their own precious hanging-by-a-thread Constitution, or will they respect the "citizens' initiative", and wave Au Revoir to Strasbourg...?

Or will they do what they usually do, and just ignore the whole thing?

Mannekin Pis

The Sprout is no more

Rumour has it that the Sprout magazine (two times winner of "Assistants' Favourite" 2005 and 2006) is shutting down shop. Apparently in its last issue it mentioned yours truly, which will hopefully not give us the kiss of death. Then again, we should be safe because although we may also spout a load of crap, we don't expect people to pay for it!

The Grapevine

an old one, but still....

I know that Downing Street Fighter is now a bit dated, but with all the recent goings on with Labour, it is still quite fun! Click on the link to play.

The Grapevine

Apologies

Fortress has been away for a while - there was a beer festival in Brussels this weekend, and the Fortress boys and girls were making the most of it.

Sunday was spent sampling a large and delicious selection of Belgian ales (the girls were on the fruit beer)

Now, the last thing anyone needs to hear when faced with that morning-after feeling is "So, when are you leaving for Strasbourg then?". A 430 kilometre trek with a hangover followed by a plenary session with heavy evening drinking and long, late walks back to hotel rooms. Until Thursday, when Fortress makes the same 430k trip home.

Sometimes I wonder if this whole thing is just one big piss-take...

Mannekin Pis

BIG FORTRESS EXCLUSIVE

Roger Helmer MEP is going to have the Conservative Whip restored in the next few minutes. Fortress' sources reveal that an email will be sent in the next few moments informing the entire Tory delegation. There will be some very unhappy Tory MEPs in the papers tomorrow.

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST...

Mannekin Pis

EU minimum wage

The French Europe minister was quoted yesterday saying “We must achieve real coordination of our economic policies, notably within the eurogroup” and also proposed the creation of a minimum European salary.

If I were a Pole whose average recent wage was €6,000 I wouldn't mind a bit, but I am not sure I would if I were a Dane with an average of €44,000 in the same year.

The Grapevine

The only thing worse than being talked about...

It's nice to know that Fortress hasn't been forgotten. Both the Tories and the UKIP staffers are still intrigued as to the identity of your host, our sources tell us. In fact, in the last few days, certain Tories have been naming their prime suspects.

Fortress learns from recent discussions in the canteen that Mike Wood - now a Conservative candidate for Assembly elections in Wales - and James Holtum, the erstwhile press guru, are top of the hit list.
Nope, it's not them...

Also accused were Emma McClarkin, long-time Assistant to Roger Helmer MEP, Keith Newman, the new Assistant for Chris Heaton-Harris MEP, Emma Greenow, fellow Welsh Assembly candidate, and UKIP press officer Gawain Towler.
Wrong again...

But it's nice that we're making an impression.

Fortress EU

Helmer TV

Roger Helmer MEP, he of the Reinstate Roger campaign, has today launched a DVD to promote his work in the Parliament. Fortress hasn't managed to get hold of a copy yet, but we reckon there must be a real contender for Understatement of the Year in the disclaimer:

"The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of the European Parliament"

You don't say...

Mannekin Pis