27 July 2010
Nikki Sinclaire MEP Launches ambitious 100,000 ‘People’s
Petition’
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| Campaigning
West Midlands MEP Nikki Sinclaire has today launched a ‘people’s
petition’ in Birmingham calling on the coalition government
to hold a referendum on European Union membership Said Nikki ‘It is a disgrace that no-one under the age of 53 has had the chance to say whether they want to be part of the European Union and yet it spends £45millon of our money every day’. Nikki is using a campaign ‘battle bus’ to visit ‘every town and City in the Midlands over the next year to collect signatures. Said Nikki ‘I aim to collect the petition over the next year or so and have also launched an online version at http://haveyoursay.eu/ |
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Nikki said that the battle bus also doubles as a mobile surgery and gives her a chance to meet ‘my employers’ i.e. constituents at first hand. Said Nikki ‘Although I have massive reservations about the European Union I do never the less want to use my time helping people and I am issuing an open invitation to people to talk to me about anything that concerns them from job security to Housing problems’. Nikki regularly receives enquiries on a broad range of concerns and has a high success rate resolving problems working in association with local Councils and Parliament The surgery will be in Stoke on Trent this Thursday 29th July Noon to 4pm |
______________________
14 July 2010
Womens Committee Debate
A Charter for
Discrimination - Nikki Sinclaire MEP slams the European Parliament.
The European Parliament insults all women with its call today for "positive
discrimination", according to Nikki Sinclaire MEP.
" They sat there complaining that women could not make it in politics without
positive discrimination, and even claimed that women are unable to acheive success
in businesses such as professional football" said Nikki. "I reminded
them of Maggie Thatcher and Karen Brady, but it appears that they will not let
reality get in the way of an opportunity for a raft of new legislation"
Two reports were debated today by the Women's Rights Committee of the European
Parliament. The Committee is calling for positive discrimination which it believes
is necessary to encourage women, and to facilitate greater progress. "Rather
bizarrely" Says Nikki "the same report that calls for positive discrimination
for women, also supports a new anti-discrimination directive from the European
Commission. The scary thing is that all this is likely to lead to even more
new and uneccessary laws, which we will all have to abide by."
______________________
21st June
2010
Human rights debate
"Mr President, as the
rapporteur points out, under the terms of the United Nations Charter
every Member State has a responsibility to ensure that respect for
human rights is universal. The European Convention on Human Rights,
however, seems to think differently, as it bestows special rights on
some at the expense of others. The special rights, for example, bestowed
on travellers have meant that in the UK, in my own West Midlands constituency,
local people have seen their own rights eroded.
With the protection of the Convention, so-called travellers can build on land
that our people have nurtured and set aside for future generations to enjoy.
This is known as greenbelt land. With the protection of the Convention, travellers
enjoy special privileges in health care and education, services built up at great
expenses by successive generations.
In my local community, citizens are mounting 24-hour vigils in wind and rain
in order to ensure that travellers comply with legal obligations. They are prepared
to lie down in the road at great personal risk in order to stop convoys of lorries
from delivering concrete and asphalt. These are hardworking, law-abiding citizens
who only want to protect their own rights and those of their families. Thanks
to the Convention, we now have to fight for those rights in the fields and lanes
of rural England.
I agree with the rapporteur.
We must pay tribute to the defenders of human rights wherever they may
be, in Iran, in Gaza, in Cyprus -- or, thanks to the Convention, in the
English countryside. This may seem trivial when compared to the plight
of so many people in the world, but the point I am trying to make is
that human rights are in danger everywhere; rights that were so hard
fought in our own land are as precious to us as they are to anyone else."
19th June 2010
Translation of criminal proceedings
Nikki votes against the EU
"You are not a country"
Mr President,
I voted against this report, not because I do not believe in translation
of criminal proceedings - it is of course very important that there
is correct interpretation and translation in these proceedings. However,
what this actually does is purport to add greater competence under
the ECHR. The United Kingdom is already a signatory under the ECHR
and it was incorporated into our law in 1998, as it is, I believe,
across the European Union.
What we need to ask ourselves is why the European Union is going down this
road. I believe it is going down this road -- and I think we all know why it
is going down this road -- because this is another step on the road to statehood.
That is why I voted against this. National governments must make these decisions.
It is not for you: you are not a country. How many times do we have to say
this?
18th May 2010
Nikki fights for the rights of Meriden and Hatton residents
Local residents are up in arms about recent invasions by travellers of Green
Belt Land
"Madam
President, the rapporteur states in his report that the accession to
the ECHR will afford citizens protection against the actions of the
Union. I would be far more interested in protecting the residents of
my constituency, the West Midlands in the UK, against the action of
the Convention on Human Rights.
Of course in the UK we incorporated this into our law in 1998, allowing the
ECHR to have effect in all our courts. In the manifesto of the new Conservative
Government it was promised that they would repeal the Human Rights Act but,
as they should have known, Lisbon made the EU a legal entity and the EU has
greater powers than the electorate of the United Kingdom. We are reminded of
George Orwell. The writing is on the wall and, as we know, some people are
more equal than others when it comes to human rights.
Earlier this month, my constituents in Meriden and Hatton suffered invasions
by so-called ‘travellers’, who have broken the peace and who are
building unauthorised and possibly illegal developments on what little remains
of our precious green-belt land. Thanks to the Convention on Human Rights,
these travellers have special protected rights. They have priority in health
care and education, all at the expense of local taxpayers!
The rapporteur wants us to involve our national courts and ministries of justice
in this process. I say that the Convention on Human Rights has done enough
damage already. Perhaps the rapporteur would like to visit my constituency
and witness at first hand the desecration of our land. Perhaps he would like
to speak to the hardworking villagers who have seen the value of their homes
plummet. He can inspect the lines of police drafted in to keep the peace and
of course preserve the special rights of the travellers. He could even enjoy
the spectacle of 90 lorries laden with gravel churning up the country lanes
where parents walk with their children. He might help residents as they rush
to install security equipment in anticipation of the surge in criminal activity
that often accompanies such developments.
Of course these are but small tragedies and are nothing when compared to the
important political project that is the European Union, but let us consider
that when we propose special rights on one group of citizens we automatically
degrade the rights of others.
The Convention on Human Rights has degraded the rights of my constituents.
It should not be up to unelected officials to decide who is special and who
is not. We have a newly elected government in the UK which has made promises
in this area. In the name of democracy let them carry out those promises!"
18th
May 2010
PRESS RELEASE
Nikki
Sinclaire MEP fights for residents rights in European Parliament
Plenary in Strasbourg
Local residents are up in arms about the recent invasions by travellers of
Green Belt land in Meriden and in Hatton.
Nikki Sinclaire,
independent Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands,
has taken the matter to the EU, and today spoke out in a meeting of
the legislature in Strasbourg.
Under the terms of the Lisbon treaty, all member states are to come under the
jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) which bestows upon
travellers special rights, giving them priority in Education and health care,
as well as the right, in some cases to live on taxpayer funded land.
" The principle that everyone is equal in the eyes of the law should always
apply, not the EU preferred Orwellian scenario; that some are more equal than
others" said Nikki, "and those rights must be protected by the law.
However, I believe passionately that we are all equal. That is the basic premise
of a democratic society, and the ECHR has given one section of society special
rights. When we do this, we automatically degrade the rights of others. "
The new Conservative government has pledged to remove the UK from the influence
of the ECHR, however the European Parliament has today discussed its proposals
to place all member states under the ECHR, making a nonsense of the Tory pledge.
This was fact was well known when David Cameron made his promise.
19th April
2010
MEP call
for postponement of Strasbourg plenary session this week due to travel
restrictions.
Nikki Sinclaire, Independent MEP for the West
Midlands has called for the plenary session in Strasbourg this week
to be postponed as UK MEPs
and others are unable
to travel there to take part in important votes including the discharge of
the 2008 Budget.
Other important votes include the Swift agreement with the United States that
transfers financial information of people across Europe to the US administration.
Another votes concerns Airport charges.
Nikki said "These are important votes and all MEPs must be able
to attend. This looks increasingly unlikely and therefore I call
on President Buzek to
postpone the session"
25th March
2010
Nikki Highlights
Criminal Elements of EFD group and European Parliament
and Slams EU Hypocrisy
24th
March 2010
Nikki sticks up for the Countryside and the Greenbelt
16th March
2010
Nikki tells the EU Parliament to Practice what you preach
in a debate on Violence on Women
10th March
2010
Nikki speaks to the European Parliament
"NATO kept the peace
in Europe not the EU"
23 February
2010
Nikki Sinclaire addresses The
Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee of the
European Parliament
February 2010
EU REPORTER Pg 15
www.eurporter.co.uk
18 February
2010
Nikki debated immigration
issues live on BBC WM radio, with Phil Woolas, Minister for borders
and immigration.
This followed
a heated conference on the issue in Birmingham the previous day.
Whilst the minister claimed that immigration was under control, Nikki pointed
out that immigration from Eastern Europe , following EU expansion meant that
in reality we have little idea of who is actually in the country. She highlighted
the fact that the government's much-vaunted "points system" does
not apply to EU citizens, and so is little more than window-dressing. In an
attack on UKIP policy, Woolas tried to claim that EU membership was vital for
British industry, but seemed reluctant to pursue that line after Nikki pointed
out to him that British manufacturing jobs are actually being lost to our European "partners".
Nikki taunted Woolas, telling him that New Labour's mantra in 1997 should have
been "Immigration, immigration, immigration!" Migration watch recently
exposed the government's true agenda by releasing a document that was given
restricted circulation in October 2000 and that they obtained in January 2010
under a Freedom of Information Act request to the Cabinet Office. This outlined
the intention to change the social make-up of the UK through mass immigration.
New Labour would appear to be as incapable of telling the truth about immigration
as they are of managing it!
Wednesday 10
February 2010
The French voted "NO", the Dutch voted "NO",
the Irish voted "NO"
It
is quite clear that the enthusiasm of the political elite for the EU
project is not shared by the electorate.
Now, the Croatian people have given the elite a real slap in the face, by turning
their collective backs on the idea of accession to the EU.
A document produced earlier this month by the European Parliament's Committee
on Foreign Affairs states that: "...despite the broad support for EU accession
existing among political parties, public support for EU membership is diminishing;
notes that opinion polls suggest that the Croatian public remains less than
enthusiastic about the EU, indicating that only one-third of the population
consider EU accession to be beneficial".
The Committee suggests that the Croatian government might want to educate the
public about the benefits of EU membership, and refers to the EU's future expansionist
plans in the Western Balkans.
This disregard for public opinion flies in the face of established democratic
principles. Any perceived benefits might be considered to be wiped out by this
erosion of hard won democratic rights, and to behave this way towards people
who have only recently been freed from the Soviet yoke is an insult and a disgrace.
The Croatian people instinctively seem to know that they are Better Off Out!
The motion for a resolution on Croatian accession can be found at: Click
here.
Wednesday 3
February 2010
Nikki meets prominent Zimbabwe rights campaigners Okay Machisa
and Basilton Peta
Nikkie says "We
British are acutely aware of the appalling sufferings of the people
of Zimbabwe
- indeed many Britons have close family ties with that nation."
As a member of the Human Rights Committee, I was honoured to have the chance
to meet two prominent rights campaigners, Okay Machisa and Basilton Peta. They
brought to my attention the fact that the EU looks set to relax travel restrictions,
and unfreeze the assets, of certain members of the political elite of Zimbabwe,
a move that they as campaigners are very anxious to avoid."
The Mugabe regime
is evil: even under the new power sharing agreement political and racial
violence continues, and any concessions given by the EU will only serve
to reward the elite repression of students and trade unionists, forced
labour for children, and murder of dissenters are all features of life
in Mugabe's Zimbabwe.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has fought hard to win a foothold
in government in this troubled part of southern Africa, and we must do all
we can in their battle for the democratisation and freedom of their people.
We must not ignore the repressions, Britain must take a lead by insisting that
restrictions on the dictator and his entourage remain in place."
27 January 2010
65th Anniversary of
the Liberation of Auschwitz
West Midlands MEP, Nikki Sinclaire,
as an invited guest of the European Jewish Congress, took part in events
to mark the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on 27 January
2010.
Click here for more
Wednesday,
January 27, 2010
Poverty and violence
Questions asked over commitment to gender equality.
EU Reporter Correspondents
In
Brussels earlier this week, the Women's Rights Committee launched a
scathing attack on the Commission over its gender policies, when
it was asked to approve the discharge of the EU General Budget
for 2008.
"
Gender budgeting has still not been implemented" the committee
stated in a report, demanding that the Commission take further
steps towards
ensuring that gender mainstreaming becomes a reality in budgetary
planning.
The committee also pointed out that in 2008 a large number of reimbursements
to the Cohesion projects, (which cover gender equality), were affected
by "errors".
At the Luxembourg summit of 1997, it was agreed that gender equality,
and equal employment opportunities for men and women, should be the
fourth pillar of EU employment guidelines. However, according to the
Commission's
own figures employment rates amongst women are lower than for men,
with women continuing to earn an average of 17.4% less than men for
each hour
worked.
British MEP Nikki Sinclaire told us "Throughout the world, it is
women who bear the brunt of economic and social problems. I suspect that
millions of women in Europe would have had higher expectations of the
Commission, which has again failed to deliver on its commitments".
Monday
11th January 2010
NFU Visit
the EU!
Nikki Sinclaire MEP and
her team hosted an NFU visit to the European Parliament on Monday
11th January in Brussels.
The group of Farmers from the surrounding countryside of Shropshire
were due to meet at Telford on Sunday night to fly to Brussels
from Birmingham Airport.
We were concerned they wouldn't make it through the ice and the snow, but
as the organiser Ruth said "if farmers can't drive though
the treacherous conditions no one can!"
Nikki's team met the NFU group of 25 at 2.30pm the next day on Monday afternoon
inside the entrance of the EU visitors centre were photos were taken in front
of the national flags.
Then we were all lead into the visitors room where the workings of the EU Parliament
were explained by John Fordham who has many years of experience working
for the EU. We then viewed the impressive circular Parliament Chamber where
there was a chance to ask questions.
After David finished, Nikki spoke about her perspective of the European Parliament
and the reasons why the UK would benefit from leaving the EU, this was followed
by a lively informative debate.
Nikki was delighted to attend the NFU dinner later that evening with her colleague
Stuart Agnew MEP this was a great opportunity for a discussion with him on
technical agricultural issues - Stuart was with a determined few until around
1.00am the next morning, providing ample time for quite a thorough discussion!
Nikki will be making fact finding visits to farms in the future to support
our agriculture community in the West Midlands. She said “I have found
this visit very informative especially about the growing amount of paperwork
farmers need to comply with – Farmers need to farm, not to become bureaucrats.”
11 January 2010
Bodies revealed show condemed
A member of the European
parliaments Human Rights Committee today condemned the Bodies Revealed
Show in Birmingham and called for it to be closed
until it could be proved beyond all doubt that the corpses used are
not those of Chinese prisoners.
UKIP MEP for the West Midlands Nikki Sinclaire said that if the organisers
did not have incontrovertible proof that the bodies were not those
of executed Chinese prisoners or victims of torture then the exhibition
should be closed immediately.
"
This is not the first time that the organisers have been accused of using
the bodies of prisoners ", said the MEP,"and I believe that
the people of the West Midlands share my revulsion of this show".
2nd
December 2009
Nikki
anger at A&E downgrade
People
in north Warwickshire are being forced to travel further for life
saving treatment as Rugby’s St Cross Hospital’s
A&E department has
been downgrade to little more than a ‘bandage station’, UKIP
MEP Nikki Sinclaire has warned.
The life saving unit is being wind down to the status of a walk-in minor injuries
unit as people with life threatening conditions and injuries are being sent
directly to Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry, a journey that adds miles to the
dash for life.
Ms Sinclaire said recent changes at St Cross have left the unit as an A&E
only in name, despite assurances from health chiefs that emergency services
would remain at the Stoney Stanton site.
“ Back in 2006 a review of acute service in Warwickshire promised that
local 24 hour A&E units would remain but a quick look at the University Hospitals
Coventry and Warwickshire NHS trust website describes treatment available at
St Cross now as ‘Cuts and grazes, broken bones, minor burns and scalds,
bites and stings, strains and sprains, minor head injuries, and minor eye or
ear problems'.
“ Most shockingly parents are warned that if their child is seriously ill
then they should be taken to Walsgrave Hospital directly.”
She added; “This move leaves St Cross’s as little more than a bandage
station while critical cases are either transferred or transported directly
to Coventry with the added wait for life saving treatment.”
The MEP, who has special responsibility for Warwickshire, said the move was
even more deplorable as residents in the affected area had been kept in the
dark about the changes, while local councillors had been briefed in full.
“ In 2007 Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem councillors on Rugby Borough
Council had it spelt out to them that emergencies cases, such as heart attack,
acute stroke, acutely sick children and major trauma would no longer be treated
at St Cross but choose to do nothing about it.
“ I became an MEP to confront the bureaucracy, lack of accountability and
democracy at the heart of the European Union but it seems that these very same
traits are evident in how the NHS in Warwickshire is being run.
“ I will now demand to know how this situation came about.”
Tuesday 10th
November 2009
Dying fish in Ipsley Pool
The
devastating impact of oxygen deprivation has seen the death of hundreds
of fish
and aquatic insects in the local Ipsley Pool.
Whilst the seagull community may be enjoying the bigger than normal food
supplies – anglers aren’t catching so much. Local UKIP MEP,
Nikki Sinclaire together with Anne Davis, UKIP PPC for Redditch have
quickly taken action to ensure that the re-oxygenation of the pool takes
place speedily, to increase the life of wildlife in the pool and decrease
the huge problem of smell from rotting fish and marine life.“This
is huge problem the cause of which has not yet been identified” said
Nikki Sinclaire. “Sadly time has been wasted by the Environment
Agency in not proactively identifying the cause which has had a huge
negative impact on the pool.” “We are thankful to local anglers
and members of the public who informed the local PPC Anne Davis of the
UK Independence Party of their concerns about increasing numbers of dead
fish” said Nikki Sinclaire.On Monday 9th November, Anne Davis PPC
met with officers of Redditch Borough Council to discuss the issue further
following more than a week passing as oxygen levels in the pool fell
from the average of 70% to only 10%. Following the intervention by Nikki
and Anne, the Environment Agency have now promised to pump oxygen into
the lake but still a risk remains to the aquatic community as the pumping
of oxygen will not have an immediate impact.
“
Finally, the long suffering of the fish will soon be over” Anne
Davis said.Anne Davis, a previous Chairlady on the former Amenities Department
of the boroughs council stated that the pool had been overlooked. Her
previous involvement back in 1990 ensured regular visits to the pool
for health and safety checks. Local angler, John, stated that in ‘more
than 40 years fishing, I have never seen this before and it is very sad
to see’
Tuesday 10th
November 2009
Nikki meets students from Rainhill School, Mersyside
Thursday, 29th October
2009
Nikki
to join the RAF
NIKKI will don the Royal Air Force uniform and get down and dirty with the lads and lasses, with no leisure spared.
Nikki Sinclaire MEP for the West Midlands has signed on for the military programme known as ’The Parliamentary Scheme’ that aims to give MPs and MEPs a better understanding of the needs and experiences of the UK armed forces.
"
As a politician, it is very important to be able to relate to the lives
of the military along with the lives of the many people who make this nation
great" said Nikki.
Nikki will spend time with service men and women throughout the
intensive programme. The course will cover basic training and duties
for both
junior officers and for other ranks, concluding with a period in
Afghanistan.
" The opportunity to speak with our brave service men and women and to see
them in their military surroundings will be an immense building
of my character, as a politician and as an individual.
I think I am very lucky to be given this opportunity" said Nikki.
The Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme is funded by £45,000 by BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Augusta Westland and their predecessor each year. The programme has been supported by Sir Neil Thorne since it’s creation in 1989.
Twenty Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the EU is a Reincarnation of the Former Soviet Union.
by Hans Vogel. Click here to read more
Nikki Sinclaire
MEP the first 100 days
• Quoted
in national newspapers including the Times and Telegraph.
• Been interviewed live on BBC 1.
• Maiden speech in Strasbourg began with the sentence ‘I do not accept
the validity of this parliament or any other EU institution to make laws
for the United Kingdom.’
• Directly questioned Barroso on his ‘EU Empire Quote’ (he
failed to answer).
• Spoke in parliament against Barroso’s reappointment.
• Numerous TV and Radio interviews.
• Paid for and attended Fresher fairs’ at universities.
• Assisted at the Norwich North by-election (UKIPs highest ever score).
• First UKIP MEP to go online with website including a page on transparency.
• Financed and edited 100,000 newspapers For the West Midlands (thanks
to the WM Branches virtually all of them have been distributed).
• Produced a professional colour booklet explaining my duties (This has
also been allowed in libraries in the region).
• Received and Spoken to colleges and Universities in Brussels and Strasbourg.
• Met with small business owners from the West midlands and their representatives
to discuss their concerns on EU legislation and how I couyld be of assistance
in protecting them.
• Spoken on various committees against forth coming EU legislation.
• Discovered the EU plans for birth and death certificates.
• Met with Cypriot President, Dimitris Christofias and other Cyrpriot leaders
with dialogue on the Cyprus problem and negotiations with Turkey in respect
of the problem and their EU candidature and the Failure of the EU to keep
its promises
to the people of Cyprus.
• Pledged to donate a third of my net salary to the general election campaign.
• Pledged to financially assist young independence in promoting itself.
• Pledged to financially assist the north east and Scotland.
• Donated over £7,000 to the party since my election.
• Contributed £1000 towards the Electoral Reform Societies costs
to oversee a fair leadership election.
Click
to download pdf of Nikkis pages
in the Parliament Magazine
Click
to download pdf of the
2nd edition of yourmep Magazine
Irish
Referendum Result
Statement by Nikki Sinclaire MEP
It
is with great disappointment that I learn of the ‘Yes’ result
in the second Irish Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
There can be no doubt that the true democratic process has been subverted with
lies, clear deception and veiled threats.
The Treaty passed today is exactly the same as the Treaty rejected by the Irish
people last June. Certain guarantees have been given but hold no water legally.
The Irish ‘NO’ was not respected by the EU and the staggering difference
today lies in the economic scare mongering by the Irish political elite at
the behest of their EU masters. The Lisbon Treaty will not help the beleaguered
Irish economy yet many Irish citizens believed the veiled threats with memories
of the ‘good times’ when they were heavy net benefactors of the
EU.
Those times will never come back to Ireland. The Irish people clearly could
see that when they rejected the Nice Treaty (that allowed the enlargement of
the EU into Eastern Europe). They were given guarantees told to vote again
then the guarantees were subsequently discarded, mass immigration ensued that
has changed Ireland with most EU subsidy now resting in Eastern Europe.
I am proud that along with all my UKIP MEP colleagues we donated approximately £10,000
each to the ‘No’ campaign out of our communication budget. This
paid for a leaflet to every household in Ireland.
Unlike the EU, I have respect for the Irish people and their decision.
We must however concentrate on our own efforts to fight this Treaty and continued
EU membership. We cannot afford to hope that we will be saved by a foreign
country or by some magical legal loophole. This country was not build on dreams.
We must take the fight to the political elite at every opportunity. Each
one of us must ask ‘what can I do to save my country?’ Every leaflet
we deliver, every letter we write to a newspaper, every chance we have to raise
the subject we must seize. Only the British people can save Britain.
We cannot rely either on the Lib Lab Con who have failed to respect and represent
the views of the electorate. No one under the age of 53 has ever been asked
their views on the EU, those over 53 were blatantly lied to by the same political
skulduggery that influenced the result today.
Today we lost a battle on a foreign field but the war is far from
lost.
SINCLAIRE TO STAND FOR LEADERSHIP 11th September 2009
Click
to down load pdf of West Midlands News 1st September 2009
Tuesday,
18th August 2009
UKIP
MEP SINCLAIRE CALLS FOR STUDENT GRANTS
Nikki Sinclaire,
UKIP MEP has called for student grants to replace the current debt
making student loan programme.
" This is about investing in our future - why don't we take a share of the £45
million a day we waste in the EU to invest in our youths. Young people have enough
to worry about - they should be concentrating on their studies and future not
mounting debts" said Nikki Sinclaire.
British undergraduates will on average owe £5,000 for every year of
study suggested a poll of 2,000 students.
Freshers should expect to complete their first year of study with more
than £21,200
by the time they graduate suggested The Push Student Debt Survey.
Those starting degree courses this autumn could see their debt levels pushed
to around £23,500.
Students across England fare worse in contrast to their students in Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland.
Average debt per year of study in England is £5,271, compared to £4,324
in Northern Ireland, £4,021 in Wales and £2,194 in Scotland.
Johnny Rich, editor of Push.co.uk, said: "With the economy in recession,
students are even more concerned about debt than they have been in recent
years.
" Finding part-time work has got harder and many students are facing real
financial hardship and are worrying about what lies ahead."
Tuition fees from this autumn will stand at £3,225 per year.
Students can claim a loan to cover the cost of tuition fees, plus extra for
living costs.
There are additional grants available for poorer students; student loans
are repaid when graduates earn more than £15,000.
Friday,
24th July 2009
Cradle to grave
EU plan scrutiny
UKIP had
a close eye on Jacques Barrot the EU Justice Commissioner as he outlined
his remit of the Stockholm Programme in which he called
for "citizenship
in the fullest sense of the word" by introducing EU birth and death
certificates.
He was speaking to the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee
in Brussels this week.
New UKIP MEP, Nikki Sinclaire, who is a member of the committee, said: “I
was stunned when the Commissioner outlined this proposal.
" They are not even pretending anymore, it is now full steam ahead to a
complete Euro superstate with a single register for all EU citizens’ births
and deaths."
" What about the protection of and respect for national identity?”
Births and deaths have been registered in the UK since 1837 and are held by
the Registrar General who collects them from local registration officers. In
2007 changes were made to the system and Birth and Death Registers were no
longer written by hand. Instead, this information is now held on a central
online database.
Nikki also criticised Commissioner Barrot, for his blatant disregard for the
voters in Ireland facing an October referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
She said: "The Commissioner talked about 'when' the Lisbon
Treaty would come into effect not 'if', despite the fact that Irish
voters
are yet to go
to the polls.
