Anyone who knows anything about the European Parliament – and you're really better off not – will know that one of the few non-horrifying things about it is that British guys who are totally opposed to the European project can get elected as Ministers to the European Parliament (MEPs) and then turn up and rubbish the place anytime they are allowed to speak. (I'm one of those opposed people – both Napoleon and Hitler tried to unify Europe, which I think is most of what you need to know about that.)
Relatedly, it increasingly seems to me that there are an awful lot of sensible people in the UK – who are yet somehow represented by virtually no remotely sensible politicians. A bit like the U.S., I guess. (Much of what Hannan rants about below is perfectly applicable to the nationalisation of the U.S. economy that is currently happening under the Obama Administration.) Anyway, just when you're really ready to throw up your hands at the seemingly unstoppable juggernaut of vapidness, posturing, bad thinking, self-interest, and – very much in particular – horrifying and egregious and too-big-even-really-to-contemplate waste of other peoples' resources, along comes a guy like Daniel Hannan.
Blisteringly smart. Extremely well-spoken. And totally righteous. (And just doesn't give a f^%*.) This first mini-speech of his, below, came out of nowhere to become like the first massively viral European Parliament video. I've included a couple more below. (He typically only gets 60 seconds under Parliament rules, so these are extremely snappy.) I think the UK, and perhaps the world, have been aching for someone like this guy. I sure know I have.
