The new Europe

Hear well, good people of Earth - the EU has now shifted decisively out of the hands of the its people. We demand a fully elected commission, president, foreign minister and Parliament before matters are taken out of our hands.

Here - the people have spoken. This is what is happening.

The European Union formally appointed Herman Van Rempuy and Baroness Cathy Ashton as respectively president and high representative of the EU. Critically, the appointments were made via recommendation from the Parliament and not democratically elected heads of Europe (see the Economist). While the EU parliament is elected its workings are still remote and its effectiveness as an elected body - ie the quality of representation it provides - are questionable.

It is vital that the EU represents its people and is governed by directly represented individuals, responsible to the people and not heads of state - it's another layer removed from our hands and subject to more manipulation.

There are those who argue that no democracy is truly in the hands of the people, but which would you rather have? Some say or no say? Exactly. Please get writing to MPs and especially foreign ministers. This is moving extremely fast and the constitution being cemented now - for it will swiftly be followed up - will have an impact for decades and centuries.

I love Europe. I feel as a continent we have a lot to offer ourselves and the world. Not in an imperial sense - which Europe's trade behaviour tries to impose - but in a benevolent way of encouraging development and promotion of well-being.

But we are asleep. In resisting a super state we run the risk that now it is formin of having no say in how this collaboration occurs. So please, use whatever channels of representation you have to urge the discourse in the direction you feel most appropriate. We do have power, and must use it for the good of all.

To sit aside deprives us of responsibility, and finally freedom.

Fluffy out.