"No thanks" to Euro Flag and Anthem, says Allister
09 October 2008
In a debate in the European Parliament on a recommendation that it formally recognise the EU flag and emblem, even though these symbols were excluded from the Lisbon Treaty, Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister described these as "the tawdry baubles of Euro-federalism".
In the course of his remarks Mr Allister said:-
"This Parliament wants these symbols for one reason only, to inflate its ego and attach the trappings of statehood to the EU. I have a much better anthem and flag, thank you very much, and I'm not about to trade them for these tawdry baubles of Euro-federalism.
"Ode to Joy" - which we've purloined - may be a very nice tune, but then so is "Jingle Bells". And like "Jingle Bells" it heralds a fantasy, the fantasy that the EU is good for you, but unlike "Jingle Bells" it will damage your national sovereignty and right to control your own destiny! More "Code to Destroy" than "Ode to Joy".
As for the flag, which we've stolen from the Council of Europe, even its proponents don't know what it means. We had as many differing explanations in the AFCO Committee as to what the stars signify as there are stars on the flag.
This proposal exposes the insatiable fanaticism of Europhiles. The ink wasn't dry on the Lisbon Treaty, which deliberately excluded these symbols, before we had the insistence that the Parliament give them official status nonetheless.
My constituents don't want an EU anthem and flag, they want the right to say "yes" or "no" to a Lisbon Treaty which robs their nation of further powers."
