Reading peer's 'very expensive insult' EU jibe

Published 10 Aug 2010 19:12 2 Comments

READING-based peer Lord Stoddart has dubbed the newly created President of the European Council a "very expensive insult".

The independent Labour peer and former Swindon MP launched his attack after receiving a written reply yesterday from the Government's Lord Astor of Hever, confirming that the annual cost of Herman van Rompuy, including his staff, travel expenses and salary, is six million euro or £4.98m.

In his response, Lord Astor admitted: "The cost is being met this year from within the EU's annual budget, using funds which had been previously allocated to other Council projects."

Lord Stoddart, a former Labour council leader in Reading who lives in Bath Road, said today: "President van Rompuy is a very expensive insult to the taxpayers of Europe.

"He is unelected, having been chosen during a dinner. His annual salary of £273,814 is greater than that of President Obama and, although funded by the taxpayer, he cannot be voted out of office."

He added: "However, this is a drop in the ocean compared to the £252 million being spent on the creation of a palace for him to work in. President van Rompuy is part of the new overpaid and unelected political elite which is now the real Government of Britain and all the other member states."

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For more on the life and times of Lord Stoddart, see the Chronicle's interview with him here:

www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/roundup/articles/2009/03/26/36601-independent-voice-of-a-true-democrat/

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 12 Aug 10

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• 

  adrianwindisch
  9 posts
  Aug 14, 22:32
  Report comment

  Labour Peers know lots about waste. The Olympics budget went from £2.4 to 10 billion. Cold war weapon trident will cost £100 billion to replace. ID cards would have wasted £18 billion. PFI schemes may cost us an extra £50 billion.
  
  Even Peers cost 300 a day in expenses, and we have far too many. Perhaps Lord Stoddart should do the decent thing and resign.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Sterling
  Unregistered User
  Aug 19, 05:58
  Report comment

  Once again Windrush is full of his own self-opinionated nonsense.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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