Blamerbell's Brussels burp
Monday, April 02, 2007
For those keen to know what the better half of the Welsh blogosphere got up to in Brussels this week, I implore you to check out the blolumn of Matt 'but we have not got five minutes' Withers. Much like the closet class swot, Matt was obviously taking some pretty hefty notes and he's quoted almost all the good bits from our very brief meeting with two of Wales' four MEPs, while ignoring all the boring crap about energy.
I have to confess, though, for most of that session I was struggling with quite possibly the bubbliest sparkling water I've ever come across. It was like supping straight out of a geyser. Ooh err. I nabbed another bottle for later hangover pacifying purposes, but the bobbling around in my bag only agitated the fizzy little buggers further and it exploded all over my crotch in the middle of the EU press conference.
Anyway, as I've mentioned before, one of our destinations on this fact-finding/indoctrination exercise was Wales House, home to the assembly's bureaucrats in Brussels. That's all very well, despite the fact that Wales is merely a region in the eyes of the European Union. But alarm bells ring when Wales' own MEPs confess they have no contact with the Welsh assembly government. Somewhat bizarrely, it becomes clear that they are briefed only by the UK government.
Two questions arise: (1) what's the point of housing WAG diplomats in Brussels when our MEPs are directed by Westminster and (2) why isn't the assembly government making sure that Welsh MEPs are representing its own unique agenda?
Oh and (3) could someone send me some of that bubbly water. I want to try snorting it.
Labels: Brussels, bubbles, Eluned Morgan, European Union, Jill Evans, Matt Withers, sparkling water, Wales House, Welsh Assembly
posted by Blamerbell @ 12:08 am,
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