I have had another response from a Jury Team candidate. Below are the responses from Michael Clayton who is running in the Jury Team Primary in the South West.
If you would like to view Michael's full Jury Team profile, then click, here.
If you would like to vote for Michael, text MICCLA01 to 86837. (25p + Standard Rate)
You can leave your questions and comments in the comments field of this post or you can directly via Michael's Jury Team profile.
As with other respondents, I have shortened a few of Michaels responses in the True/False section. This is so that all responses are consistent. Michael can add comments or elaborate in the comments field to clarify any points.
Please answer True or False to these statements:
1. The EU should have even more control over the governing of member states including the UK.
True and False.
2. The EU is the future of Continental Europe; the UK should be less resistant to this and more willing to be engaged with EU partners.
True.
3. The EU is fundamentally undemocratic in how it is made up and how it functions.
True.
4. If elected to the EU Parliament I will always vote in favour of returning legislative powers to member states.
Not necessarily.
5. Counties like Iceland and Norway should be made to join the EU.
False.
6. Ireland was wrong to vote NO in their referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
False.
7. The main reason why people are against the EU in the UK is because the Tabloid media runs scare stories.
False.
8. I believe the UK should be a part of a federal Europe, whether as the UK or as component nations or regions.
True.
9. The UK should leave the EU as swiftly and as amicably as possible.
Now is not the time.
10. The UK Parliament should be sovereign. No laws made by the EU should be above the law making decisions of the UK Parliament.
This depends.
11. The UK and France should give up their seats on the UN Security Council in favour of an EU representative.
False. [response shortened]
12. The city of London and UK financial institutions should be regulated by the EU.
Depends. [response shortened]
13. The EU has kept peace in Europe for 60 years.
Define Europe?
14. If the UK left the EU, it’s economy would never recover.
False. [response shortened]
15. Plans should be made for the UK to join the EURO within the next five year sitting of the EU parliament.
False. [response shortened]
16. UK armed forces should answer to a European Military Chain of Command.
Doubtful.
17. The EU should be allowed to collect taxes directly from European citizens and/or businesses.
False.
18. There will never be war in Europe as long as the EU is strong.
Who knows?
19. The UK should not be allowed to declare war without the approval of the EU.
False.
20. The UK should be allowed a referendum whether it accepts the EU Lisbon Constitutional Treaty before it comes into force.
True.
21. I am prepared to give up some small freedoms so that the UK and/or the EU governments can better protect us from terrorists.
False.
22. The EU should have control of EU wide policing to make standard the same across Europe, as well as centrally gather intelligence.
False.
23. UK Common Law is incompatible with European Courts. We should protect Common Law.
Not necessarily.
24. People who stand opposed to the EU should be punished.
False.
25. The Eurovision Song Contest is a wonderful form of European entertainment and the voting is in no way rigged.
You might think that but I could not possibly comment J
In no more than 200 words for each question, please tell us about the following:
Q. If you are elected to the EU Parliament, by what method and frequency will your expenses be made public?
I would expect to publish them at least every month. I would expect them to be made available via a website.
Q. Have you ever stood for an elected position before?
Yes, but not a public office.
Q. Do you have you own website or blog?
Well quite apart from the myspace and facebook, I set up a site on mobile phones once.
Q. Do you regularly read any particular newspapers or magazines? Who are your favourite writers/Journalists?
I will read anything but I owe no allegiance and I long since gave up the idea that any press is independent.
Q. Why did you decide to stand for Jury Team instead of an existing political party?
This is the first time I have come across a movement that gives ordinary people the chance to make a difference; to bring some ordinary thinking to the political arena. In the existing political parties the candidates are inevitably products of their political environment. With the Jury Team, the political environment depends on you, the people and if I am a product of that, then I can only be proud of it.
Q. What is the very first thing you will do in your official capacity if elected?
Quite simply learn. And it will be a very steep learning curve indeed. I will need to understand the dynamics of the European Parliament and how decisions are made. Luckily, for many years I have served on committees first within Europe and later globally and so I am used consensus building in a multicultural and multi-international environment. However, even though I am of the people, I need to understand what are issues for the people in my region and this can only be done by asking.
Q. And, as you have been good enough to answer the above, in no more than 1,000 of your own words, tell us why we should vote for you.
Actually it does not really matter if you vote for me or not. What matters is that you vote! Pick up your mouse and click on your region and find someone you like. Then pick up your phone and vote for them. As the saying goes, every long journey starts with a single step and only you can take that step. If you do me the honour of voting for me, I promise that I will accompany you on our journey as a companion. We will discuss, argue, agree, disagree, laugh or maybe even just walk in silence. But we will still be taking the journey and we will get somewhere. The next step is yours…
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