- It's almost 2.30pm here. Debates start at 3pm after lunch, and there's still 8 pages of voting left in this marathon session.
- Translation services go down again, just as we're listening to an oral amendment to the text.
- After about 20 minutes of voting on methane and other environmental issues, the final vote on the Commission proposal is...postponed.
- "This house does not yet have the power to stop cows from emitting methane" - finally, they admit something is best left to member states ;)
- Coming up to the 2-hour mark on voting, and still 18 more pages to go!
- Part of the problem with this legislation is that it's giving the unelected Commission broad power to pass delegated acts.
- Some of the bits that are short enough for us to have the full text in front of us...
- One of the amendments we just considered is three pages long...highly technical stuff. And there are numerous amendments to this text.
- Now we're on to 'novel foods' legislation. I'm not an expert in this area, so following colleagues' guidance on how to vote.
- Very complicated tension between the Parliament and the Commission on allowing member states to ban GM foods.
- Number of MEPs voting to end bullfighting subsidies was 438, big majority. But will it actually happen?
- Next report is on the number of judges at the ECJ. Discussion is between 12 and 28 extra judges.
- Our pro-transparency amendment with regard to MEPs' staff and allowances fails by 156-472.
- Passed 522-128. But needs treaty change! Shows why Cameron can't renegotiate. If 27 countries can't get simple reform how can 1? (2/2)
- Parliament once again votes to end the Brussels/Strasbourg travelling circus. But it won't happen; the French won't agree. (1/2)
- Pretty sure that the bullfighting vote passed, but was distracted by conversation in the chamber - will have to check details later.
- The one thing they won't spend taxpayers' money on? Creating programmes to help member states leave the euro if they want to. Fails 120-568.
- Over an hour into the voting time. 'Just' 45 pages of votes left to go...
- And now to the report on the Budget. The bullfighting vote will be part of it. Prediction: it'll pass, as it's text not part of budget line.
- Oops! They forgot amendment 120, all the way back on page 3/26. So we have to go back and vote on it. Today's votes, in a word: Omnishambles
- We proposed cut to state funding of EU political parties and foundations. Both fail, with over 500 voting against.
- Cutting the Parliamentary TV propaganda service? House of History museum to the EU? Both fail by massive margins.
- And there's a rare thing, a cut! Yes, we've voted to cut the furniture bill slightly. #austerityinaction
- Our proposal to cut allowances isn't considered; the Parliament just voted to increase them!
- Our amendment supports cuts in MEP travel expenses. Fails by 182-497.
- UKIP MEPs vote to cut MEP salaries. Fails 143-531.
- Amazing to watch how Labour consistently vote against anything that saves taxpayers' money!
- We don't get the chance to vote on our proposals to cut EU funding for propaganda projects - the Parliament voted to increase it first!
- Another @EFDgroup amendment, to cut funding for EU Special Representatives, fails. This place hates saving taxpayers' money!
- Two EFDD amendments to save taxpayers money fail.
- On page 13 out of 26 on budget lines. Then it's 9 pages on the budget report, and 40 pages of votes on other matters.
- More money for the EU Common Asylum Policy passes. ¡Quelle surprise!
- President announces a measure has failed. Electronic check shows it actually passed. By 516-160.
- A lot of MEPs forget that 60% needed to amend budget; proposal 'passes' by 344 to 306 but is actually rejected.
- Already we're seeing that proposals to spend more taxpayers' money pass; those to spend less fail. Happened at least 4 times already.
- I'm live-tweeting today's Budget and other votes in the European Parliament.
- Translation goes wrong again in EU Parliament as Jim Carver speaks in English but we hear him in a different language. Not sure which.
- Now the rapporteur reads out a string of technical amendments to the EU budget, line by line and we're expected to vote immediately.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Yesterday's Typical Joke Day In Strasbourg Parliament. (Read From The Bottom Up.)
Jonathan Arnott MEP 
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Franklin Graham preached in Glasgow, launches new fund to defend religious freedom in the UK. Staff writer Franklin Graham preaching at ...
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8729962/Quango-bosses-double-their-pay.html Good work, 'Dave'!
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