Wednesday, 22nd October 2008

Baroness Ashton

Since Peter Mandelson's departure from Brussels, and from the post of the EU's Trade Commissioner, our media have been full of stories about his links to the very rich and powerful.  None of this was any surprise to me, seeing that, three years ago, my letter to him requesting that he disclose the hospitality he had received led to the disclosure of his evening aboard a super-yacht with the co-founder of Microsoft.  What is it about Mandelson and yachts?

Gordon Brown nominated Baroness Cathy Ashton to replace the now Lord Mandelson as Trade Commissioner.  It is worth noting, at this point, that trade is 100% under the control of the EU – a situation to which I am totally opposed, because it works against our national interest – but that is how things stand.

A quick glance at Baroness Ashton's CV, therefore, did not give me any confidence that the right person had been put forward:  a few years working for CND, and then for a couple of quangos, did not strike me as suitable qualifications.  It was time to decide what to do.

Graham Booth – our man on the EU assembly's Trade Committee – retired a couple of weeks ago, so I put my name forward, as his replacement.  This would enable me to tackle Baroness Ashton at her hearing before the Committee.  Then I headed off to catch the Eurostar, pondering the prospect of the following week.

At the Brussels terminal, who should approach me and introduce herself but Baroness Ashton!  We exchanged a few pleasantries.  Finally, I said that it was nice to meet her and that she should not take my comments of the coming week too personally.

Monday 20 October, and off to Strasbourg, with arguments organised:  "At this critical time for global trade," I would say, "this is no time for a novice, and what we need is a big hitter."

I was not about to object to Baroness Ashton herself being the UK's next EU Commissioner, but wanted to point out the absurdity of her appointment to a role for which she is quite simply unqualified.

At the hearing I praised her political skills in getting the Lisbon Treaty through the Lords without a referendum – by pretending that it was not the EU constitution in disguise – and this was met with loud cheers from the rabid federalists all round me.  Then I launched into the bit about novices and big hitters.

Baroness Ashton looked less than happy about being called "a novice" and countered by saying that she was a "good negotiator".

Throughout the entire three-hour hearing, no other member, apart from Syed Kamall, asked an even remotely searching question.

So now we have a new EU Trade Commissioner who is entirely the wrong person for the job – and I shan't be on her Christmas card list!

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