UK has never been more disillusioned with the EU

The British have never been more disillusioned with the European Union, William Hague will warn today as the Government fights a new rise in the Brussels budget.

The Foreign Secretary will use a speech in Berlin to insist that Germany must allow the UK to reclaim powers from Brussels or risk the collapse of the EU.

He will fire the warning shot as Britain and Germany continue to clash over the size of the future EU budget.

David Cameron yesterday vowed to stick to his guns and veto the Budget at a summit next month if it leads to an inflation-busting rise. But German Chancellor Angela Merkel is backing a larger increase in spending and officials acknowledge there will have to be ‘a negotiation’.

Mr Hague will today depict Brussels as ‘a great machine that sucks up decision-making from national parliaments’.

He will tell the leading German foreign policy think tank the Koebler Foundation: ‘This Coalition Government is committed to Britain playing a leading role in the EU.

‘But I must also be frank. Public disillusionment with the EU in Britain is the deepest it has ever been.

‘People feel that in too many ways the EU is something that is done to them, not something over which they have a say.’

Mr Hague will also warn that the last vestiges of support will collapse in the UK unless there is change.

‘People feel that the EU is a one way process,’ he will say. ‘That needs to change. If we cannot show that decision-making can flow back to national parliaments then the system will become democratically unsustainable.’

The timing of Mr Hague’s intervention is critical. The German government was yesterday forced to deny that Mrs Merkel is threatening to abandon an EU summit if Mr Cameron wields the veto over the EU budget.

In December 2010, Mr Cameron signed a letter with Mrs Merkel saying that the EU budget should rise by ‘no more than inflation’. Since then, the European Commission has demanded a trillion euro budget for 2014 to 2020, which would raise British contributions by £10billion over the period.
But while she has changed her position since, Mr Cameron told MPs yesterday that he stands by it.

In a dig at the Germans, he said: ‘Best to set out your position and stick to it, knowing that you have a veto if you need to use it.’

The PM said the case for a real terms freeze has grown over the last year.
‘If anything, the debt situation, the deficit situation, has got worse, so the pressure to deliver a sensible settlement on the budget has increased, so that is why we will be sticking to our guns.

‘I have not put in place tough settlements in Britain in order to go to Brussels and sign up to big increases in European spending. I don’t believe that German voters want that any more than British voters.’

But officials have made it clear that Mr Cameron won’t necessarily veto any above-inflation rise in the budget.
One senior source said: ‘What matters to us is our net contribution. That’s what we’ll be looking at.’

But insiders have made it clear that having vetoed one EU treaty it is ‘entirely possible’ that he will veto the budget.

German officials expressed irritation at the attitude of the British government. ‘There’s certainly a growing feeling among European partners and also in Berlin that Britain is less interested in any new form of cooperation,’ said one official.

‘That’s a pity, because it is an important partner and we need more integration in the EU.’

Award-winning children's illustrator coming to Lewes Library

Primary school pupils from the Lewes area will be meeting a top children's illustrator and author at their local library this week.

Chris Wormell, who has published his own illustrated books and acted as illustrator on other books, will be at Lewes Library in Fisher Street on Wednesday 24 October.

Chris has won many awards, including the Ragazza Prize at the Bologna International Book Fair for his book ‘An Alphabet of Animals' and the New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's Book Award for ‘Teeth, Tails, and Tentacles'.

Chris will be meeting pupils from local primary schools and talking about his work which includes illustrations for top children's books such as ‘George and the Dragon' and ‘Two Frogs'.

The visit has been arranged by East Sussex County Council's Library and Information Service as part of an autumn celebration of children's literature. The celebration has been organised to coincide with the visit to East Sussex by Children's Laureate, Julia Donaldson.

Julia Donaldson, author of one of the country's best-loved children's books – The Gruffalo – stopped off at Eastbourne Library earlier this month, as part of a nationwide tour taking in 35 UK libraries. East Sussex was chosen by Julia, as part of her national Children's Laureate tour, because of the County Council's multi million pound investment in libraries.

Last year the County Council opened a new library at Rye and refurbished libraries at Wadhurst and Forest Row. This year work has started on a £6m new library and adult social care development at Seaford, and new library developments are also planned for Newhaven and Hastings.

Could you fill this space? – campaign to find new carers

A major new publicity campaign to find families and carers for children in need is being launched by East Sussex County Council.

Under the banner of “Could you fill this space?” the County Council is looking to reach residents who might be able to help a child in care by being the vital loving, caring support they need.

The campaign which launches this week will include radio adverts, banners and posters in local communities, and a special website providing a range of information about the ways people can help “fill a space” in a child's life.

TV celebrity and ice-skating star Jayne Torvill will be providing the voice for the radio adverts. As patron of the East Sussex Foster Care Association Jayne has been a regular supporter of services for children in care in the county.

The campaign images feature a child being held aloft on the shoulders of an adult – supported and loved, smiling and happy – but the adult has been removed from the picture and a cut-out left in place. The challenge to residents is “could you fill this space?”

Residents are being urged to visit www.fillaspace.co.uk to find out more about the campaign and the many different ways they might be able to help. They can also ring a special campaign hotline that has been set up on 01323 464129 to speak to a member of staff about the campaign and the different ways they can help.

We're looking for new foster parents who could look after a child in care either in the short term or for a longer period, as well as potential adoptive parents who could provide a child with a long-term home. But we also need families that could provide a short-term home and help to older children, or carers for children with disabilities.

Our Looked After Children service, which includes our Fostering and Adoption teams have been rated “outstanding” by the Government and so are amongst the best in the business.

Cllr Colin Belsey, the County Council's Lead Member for Children and Families said: “This is an exciting campaign that we hope will have quite a bit of impact in the community. We hope people will hear the radio adverts, see the posters, see the newspaper adverts and read about it in the papers.

“Carers come from all walks of life, and from all backgrounds. The main thing they have in common is the desire to make a difference for a child in need. We need all sorts of carers – short term foster carers, long term foster families, potential adoptive parents, people who can provide supported lodgings for teenagers, people who can provide breaks for disabled young people – and so there's a wide range of different levels of commitment”.

Cllr Belsey said the campaign was taking a different approach to previous recruitment activities. “Previously we've always gone out looking for specific types of carers. This time we're hoping to reach the many people out there who probably would like to help out a child in care but don't know how they might be able to do so.

“We'll be able to have an honest discussion with anyone who contacts us about what options there are, whether it's something that's suitable for them, and what is involved.”

And he stressed that anyone contacting the team would be under absolutely no obligation to get involved. “People should not think that they will be pressured into getting involved. We genuinely just want to speak to people to give them more information. We hope, of course, it will lead to more carers, but some may decide it's not for them.”

Cllr Belsey said that families who help by providing love and a secure home for a child in care, would face many challenges but also great rewards. He said: “These are vulnerable children who, for one reason or another, are not able to live with their birth families. What they need is the supportive environment of a loving home.

“Being a carer does bring many challenges but I know from speaking to many of our existing carers that it is also hugely rewarding. Carers should also be reassured that they will be given training and full on-going support from our outstanding team.”

So what about you? Have you got space in your home and your heart to help a child? If you want more information give us a call on 01323 464129 or visit www.fillaspace.co.uk

Defending the legacy

I had a quick spin in a Land Rover XTech special edition today. Once again, it’s almost impossible to justify why such a antediluvian, beastly, bumpy, lumpy and unwieldy has a place on the new car price lists in 2012. You can’t get comfortable, you need the window open if you want meaningful elbow room, and despite being fitted with the latest 2.2-litre turbodiesel and six-speeder, it’s not exactly economical.

Okay, it’s going to be near-unbeatable off-road, but for those who like to use their off-roaders, er, on-road, the Defender’s lack of usability is a genuine handicap.

But despite all that, and I am sure you know where this is going, I still adore the Defender. I absolutely adore the way it looks, and its sheer all-round classlessness. My London-bound friends will tell you that they’re all over the West End, and are currently the coolest thing to be seen in there. And at £27,995 for this one, it’s probably only Sloanies that will want to buy this. As a Defender you could conceivably trick-up a £3000 example to look largely similar to this car – and be just as bouncy and uncomfortable.

The one other thing I really like about this car is there’s so much heritage componentry in it. And it’s easy to find. I’ll post a few images below, and see if you can identify where they come from. As a BL aficionado, it’s a delight to see just how much Land Rover have dipped into the parts-bin. And that’s without taking into account the MGF window switches and Range Rover steering wheel.

MG launches ’6 BTCC Edition

Better late than never seems to be MG’s mantra at the moment. While the world waits for the MG6 diesel, the company has launched a limited edition version of the car to celebrate its participation in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). Arriving too late to capitalise on the season as it progressed, and just in time to see Jason Plato not take the championship, the new car is an interesting addition to the line-up.

The MG6 BTCC Special Edition is finished with a Racing matt black roof and Racing matt black 18in alloy wheels, and comes with Racing black gloss sills, door mirror covers, lower front air dam and rear spoiler. There’s a BTCC badge on the grille, and a multi-coloured MG KX Momentum Racing team decal is on the bonnet extension panel above the front grille, on the fastback boot lid and on the front doors and wings just behind the chrome wing vent. BTCC Edition graphics are highlighted on the sills and also inside the car on the passenger facia.

The car is based on the SE version, and comes with the same equipment and after-sales package as that car.

Mini Cooper Register heads south

The first ‘Minis to Marseille’ event held by the Mini Cooper Register was a great success, with 17 cars and their crews enjoying a 1400 mile tour through some of France’s finest scenery. The Minis arrived in Marseille on 5 October, and a full week of challenging driving.

Traditionally Monte Carlo has been the final destination of club touring events in France, so this year the organisers decided on a change. The Mediterranean seaport was chosen because of its long standing connections with French motor sport, being the starting point for the famous Coupé des Alpes Rally and a regular destination on the Tour de France Automobile.

The route began in Vienne, from the premises Automobiles BMC, where crews had a chance for any last minute fettling or repairs ahead of the tour. Charade racing circuit was one of the first landmarks on a route that took cars and crews via St Nectaire, the Pas de Peyrol, Aurillac and across the Millau viaduct.

Avignon was the base for two days of motoring, with a 232-mile circular tour on the first day and the final leg into Marseille offering some physical highs and lows, with a gearbox testing ascent of the 1912m Mont Ventoux hill climb and then a scenic descent into the Camargue and a ferry crossing of the River Rhône. The Mini Coopers – three of them dating from 1964 – all stood up well to the rigours of brisk driving on roads of all sorts, with no major breakdowns.

Next year the Mini Cooper Register will be running a touring event in Ireland, from 19 to 26 September, and in September 2014 the club will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Paddy Hopkirk’s giant-killing victory on the Monte Carlo Rally with a run through France to Monaco, using some of the roads that featured in the 1964 rally.

“Like” your local Children's Centre

Facebook users will be able to keep in touch with their local Children's Centre at the touch of a “like” button.

East Sussex County Council's network of children's centres has begun a project to set up Facebook pages for each of its 31 centres.

In a pilot project three centres in Crowborough, Rye and the Churchwood Centre in Hastings are launching pages this month, enabling young families easy access to information about the centre and their activities, as well as the opportunity to keep in touch.

If the trials are successful the plan is to create pages for the remaining 28 centres in the new year.

Cllr Nick Bennett, the County Council's Lead Member for Learning and School Effectiveness, said: “We know a lot of people are using social media to keep in touch with each other and to keep up-to-date with groups and organisations they are involved with.

“Our plan with this project is to create social media communities around each children's centre which will enable young families to get easy access to information on activities at the centres, as well as ask questions of each other and staff.”

Cllr Bennett added children's centres provide a range of support services for young families with children aged 0-5, including activity groups, support groups, childcare, health services, family support, and employment advice. They also provide a wide range of other activities tailored to the needs of the local community.

“If we can build a social media community around each children's centre page, we'll also be able to use it to have a conversation with families about the services we are providing and how we could improve them.”

He urged families registered with the Crowborough and Rye Children's Centres and the Churchwood Centre in Hastings to visit the relevant Facebook page and “like” it.

“We're always looking for new ways of making our services easier to access and to finding ways of being in closer contact with families who use our services. The more people that like the pages, the more effective they will be.” He said.

The first three children's centres Facebook pages can be found at:

Rye Children's Centre on Facebook
Churchwood Children's Centre on Facebook
Crowborough Children's Centre on Facebook
For more information on the Children's Centres network in East Sussex see: