Commonwealth warms to DCB trade talk

Thursday, 18th November 2010

A major delegation of Parliamentarians from 31 Commonwealth nations gave a warm response to speaker David Campbell Bannerman MEP and UKIP policy on a visit to the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday.

Many delegates praised the MEP for his 'candidness' in revealing the European Union to be undemocratic, in direct contrast to the democratic nature of the Commonwealth.

They also welcomed UKIP's policy of creating a Commonwealth Free Trade Area (CFTA) worth 20% of international trade and valued at a potential $1.8 trillion, while condemning the EU's Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and CAP foodstock dumping as being little more than neo-colonialism.

A member of the Australian Parliament, Andrew Fraser MP agreed with Mr Campbell Bannerman's assessment of the EU, saying he found the European Parliament to be a "bloated bureaucracy".

The Minister of Home Affairs for Anguilla, Walcott Richardson, bemoaned the rule by bureaucrats the UKIP MEP had identified and complained about the loss of transhipment passage through Anguilla and EU demands for container damages. Other smaller nations such as Barbados, The Maldives and Montserrat all expressed fears of economic damage.

A South African delegate meanwhile agreed with Mr Campbell Bannerman saying he found the EU "very confusing" and when he questioned where the power actually lay - UKIP's man answered that it rests with The European Commission and its Director Generals, the Parliament being undemocratic and resembling the token representation of a Supreme Soviet. The EU's founder Jean Monnet had a hatred of nation states and democratic politicians.

Indian delegates thanked Mr Campbell Bannerman for his support for India, pointing out that the Indian middle class alone will be larger than the present EU by 2050.

The UKIP MEP reassured delegates that Britain would be able to retain a free trade area with the rest of the EU, (as Switzerland has) without the £45million a day costs of the political construct, when MPs such as Malaysia’s Nik Nazmi raised concerns over the ‘affordability’ of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Campbell Bannerman (who was born in Bombay – now called Mumbai) commented: "This meeting says it all. Here were 31 Commonwealth nations from across the world who all could listen to speakers without a single translator being needed, as we are all united by the English language, as well as a common belief in democracy, English law, constitutions and business practices.

"Compare that to the army of translators needed for just 27 nations. As it has continually been said since the 1960s, we are better off with Commonwealth than Common Market!

"The Commonwealth is not the past, it is the future."