Bless the memory of Gwyneth Dunwoody! (From Crewe Guardian)

Bless the memory of Gwyneth Dunwoody!

11:32am Monday 28th April 2008

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On April 18 that Veteran Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody, the longest-serving female MP in Parliament, died at the age of 77.

She is remembered by UKIP for her Eurosceptic credentials and I would like to bless her memory and remind you of her comments on the expensive, useless and pointless EU Galileo satellite project which is still being progressed here in the EU parliament.

Giving reasons why her Transport Committee gave it a scathing report she said on the BBC Radio Four programme on Monday, November 12, 2007: "This is not one pig flying in orbit, this is a herd of pigs with gold trotters, platinum tails and diamond eyes and we ought to be asking ourselves, where is our common sense. Are we really saying that we are so frightened of the Americans that we must fling gold bars at something that we don't even know is going to work?"

Now in April 2008 the project continues to be progressed by MEPs. The current cost estimate is 3.4 billion euros and rising. In addition the pollution of launching more than 30 satellites into orbit to duplicate the existing US GPS system will, I hope, turn the Greens blue. It can only be justified by its precision bombing potential because "if we have a conflict, not approved by the USA, they will turn the GPS off."

The private sector once said to be interested' by MEPs has rejected the project as a pig in a poke. More embarrassing is the Chinese response; they promised a 20% stake providing they were given the technology. They asked the EU for this technology, were given it and walked away! Leaving you EU taxpayers to pick up the bill! Better off out?

Mike Nattrass UKIP MEP

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