Tag Archives: Mick Wallace

Yesterday

Meanwhile…

This morning.

That’ll learn them.

Yesterday.

Interesting times.

Meanwhile…

Um.

Previously: A Great Bunch Of Lads

Mick Wallace MEP

Yesterday.

Via The Global Times:

‘As the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is approaching, Mick Wallace shared his views on issues including the CPC’s role in China’s development, differences between Western political parties and the CPC, and what Europe can learn from China, in an interview with Global Times (GT) reporter Yu Jincui.’

Global Times: “China’s rise and development have upset many Western countries. But you have said that the EU should learn something from China’s development. Why do you think so? What aspects do you think the West can learn from China?”

Wallace: “The reason that we can learn something from China is because Europe is not doing a great job serving the interest of its people. I think facing great challenges, the Chinese have done remarkably well, given the size of the population. The system of the government is serving the people better whereas the system of governments in Europe is serving its business first.

“The biggest challenge for the European Union in the future is that it has to have a better relationship with the citizens of Europe. Right now, because the EU is a neoliberal club, it puts the interest of big business before those of the ordinary people. That’s a huge challenge for the EU because Europe has to change. It has to prioritize the interests of the ordinary citizens of Europe, instead of advertising the interest of big business. Because if it doesn’t, then it is going to lose the support of the people of Europe. So that’s the big challenge for Europe. I think we can learn lessons from China who are doing a better job in looking after the concerns of the ordinary citizens than the Europeans are doing at the moment.

“When the people need help, the government of any country should be there for the people. They should prioritize the interest of the people. And that’s the approach that we should have. For me, you don’t measure the quality of a government by the size of GDP, you measure it by how well it looks after those who most need help.

GT: “How do you evaluate the role that the Communist Party of China (CPC) has played in China’s development over the past few decades? Why can the CPC lead China to move forward and achieve rapid development?”

Wallace: “I believe in a system of government where the government works for everybody and not just for the few. And the CPC has obviously played a strong role in helping so many hundreds of millions in China to move out of poverty. That’s been a remarkable achievement. It couldn’t have been done under the capitalist system. China could not have made the same progress with a capitalist system. So the CPC deserves a lot of credits for the progress that China has made.”

GT: “In your opinion, what are the major differences between the CPC and Western political parties?”

Wallace: “The majority of parties in Europe favor the capitalist system and the capitalist system doesn’t look after the interests of all the people. It’s exactly the interest of some people, but not all of them. Whereas a proper communist system looks after the concerns of all, I’m sure the Communist Party system in China is not perfect either. And I know that you have a lot of people with crazy amounts of money as well. But at the same time, I do think the fact that you have moved so many people out of poverty over the last number of years just shows that you’re doing something right.”

GT: “Some pundits predict the collapse of the CPC, while others hype up purported threats the CPC poses to the West. How do you view these voices? Where do those misunderstandings come from?”

Wallace: “Communist parties have failed to survive in most countries of the world. Would that be pressure on the change? The people who have the most money in China might like things to be done different. That is a challenge to any communist system if people with a lot of money in any country become very powerful, they would challenge that communist way of thinking. So that’s a danger that China has to be careful of. I think it’s important that China doesn’t embrace neoliberalism.”

GT: “The US and some other Western countries attacked the CPC and have even sanctioned some Party members. But such acts have increased Chinese society’s support for the CPC. Why have the Western attacks failed to alienate Chinese people from the CPC?”

Wallace: “You shouldn’t worry so much about the criticism from the [Western] people. They criticized China because they don’t want China to be doing so successful. They will criticize you anywhere if you do something well. You shouldn’t worry about them.”

GT: “How does China’s development over the past few decades contribute to the world?”

Wallace: “China is investing in a lot of countries at the moment, like in Africa and Latin America, and it’s not using guns. They don’t use guns and bombs like the Americans do. But still, I think it’s important that if China is going to invest in countries, it should always be in the interest of the citizens of that country and not just in the interest of China. The world powers will always go to other countries to make investment, to access minerals and whatever. It’s important that China doesn’t copy the ways of the West who have exploited many countries for several hundred years. And it’s important that China doesn’t become like them and exploit these countries as well. You can operate in these countries, you can do business with these countries. It’s important that China does it in a fair manner.”

Good times.

Western parties should learn from CPC in care for people: EU MP (Global Times)

This morning.

Meanwhile…

Full page ad in today’s Irish Times extolling the Chinese Communist Party and explaining why it has such ‘solid support’ from the Chinese people

This morning.

Um.

Gulp.

Irish MEPs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace filmed on a trip to Iraq where they visited a brigade headquarters of Iran state-sponsored militia network Hashed al-Sha’abi, whose Iranian bases were a target of recent US bombing.

FIGHT!

Footage of Irish MEPs in Iraq used in YouTube video promoting a militia group (The Journal)

Mick Wallace MEP in the European Parliament

In the last few minutes.

At the European Parliament in Strasbourg during a debate about the situation in Iran and Iraq…

MEP Mick Wallace told the parliament:

“The crazy decision of the US to carry out the illegal assassination of [Qasem] Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and others is just the most recent testament to the fact that US is the most reckless, destabilising and dangerous political and military force on the planet at the moment.

“The US and their allies claim to be fighting a war on terror whenever they drop bombs and kill people.

“And here they’ve taken out some of the people who’ve done more to fight Isis than anyone else that we know.

“They’ve been asked to get out of Iraq. Are they going to get out of it? Are they going to recognise the democratic decision?

“They claim they have brought the democracy to Iraq. Are they going to respect it now?

“Commissioner, do you not agree that this region will be a safer place when the Americans are not in it?

“You talk about Iran not respecting the nuclear agreements. Do youse ever ask any questions of Israel?

“What in God’s name? Why won’t Europe show a bit of courage and stand up to the terrorism of America?”

Watch back in full here

Previously: Go And Shiite

Seanie O’Shea

This morning.

Via Independent4Change:

Seanie O’Shea has been selected by Independents 4 Change to contest the upcoming General Election in Wexford.

O’Shea has been working with young sportspeople in Wexford, as both a highly-regarded GAA referee and a soccer coach, for many years, and has been campaigning alongside Mick Wallace MEP since he entered politics in 2011.

Seanie wants to continue Mick’s fight on national issues inside the Dáil while focusing on helping improve services in Wexford….

Mick Wallace


Irish UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights; head of UN Liaison Office for Peace and Security Rory Keane; and South MEP Mick Wallace, speaking at a meeting of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence in Brussels on Monday

Anyone?

What are Irish soldiers achieving in the Golan Heights? (RTE Brainstorm, May 2018)

Pic: RTE

Clare Daly of Independents4Change at the European elections count centre at the RDS in Dublin last month.

Say it ain’t so.

Clare Daly hires son of Mick Wallace as her assistant in EU office (Independent.ie)

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

In fairness.

Rollingnews

This afternoon.

The battle is now between Fine Gael’s Deirdre Clune (110,085 votes) and the Green Party’s Grace O’Sullivan (114,287 votes) for Mr Wallace’s transfers to secure the fourth seat.

The fifth and final seat – the so-called Brexit seat – is only taken up when the UK leaves the European Union.

Wallace elected to third Euro seat in Ireland South (RTÉ)

Meanwhile…

Oh.