1 May 2023, 10:56

You will very well remember despite your attempt to twist the facts it was in response to over 4 budgets where over 66% of the budget was unspent despite my votes against those budgets and my states votes against budgets with repeated calls to raise spending on departments like the EDA.So the aim was to get the money that was clearly at the time not being spent back into the member states hands from the start so it can be spent at home if the EU didn't need it. You have since thankfully and much appreciated boosted the budgets though issues remain such as how difficult and inefficient it is to claim EDA funding for smaller projects and how beauracratic and centred in brussels claims are in processing with lack of local understanding of development needs increased the budget allocation and spend though still more could be spent in my opinion like 100% of contributions.The regarding of my group or myself as anti-eu was never true and is not today, I am for an effective EU governed in a way that works with much decision making being made by local national panels that understand local cultures, economies and context.

We need a strong a powerful EU and limiting its competences beyond social issues is not going to achieve that. It will prevent unified policy on key international issues and issues that require co-operation and unified policies across borders.I would very much appreciate if you stop lying to this chamber and misleading as to what mine and the ELSS views actually are and were , we were never aiming to destroy the EU or oppose it merely make it more effective, useful and structure it in such a way that balances nationstates sovereignty in cultural and social policy against the need for unified policy on trade and big european issues including issues like climate change and indeed possibly corporate taxation if a race to the bottom tax situation develops in corporation tax harming the working class of Europe .

James Mizrachi-Roscoe, Councillour of United Duchies