A Song of Earth and Air: EU elections primer

Through the medium of Game of Thrones

“I’m so excited about the European elections!” shouted nobody ever.

MEPs in Brussels seem like a distant, complex, and possibly futile thing for anyone under thirty to worry about. The prospect of actually voting for them is needlessly confusing, and very hard to get enthusiastic about.

Luckily Game of Thrones is here, and it’s great. The cool kids love it. Without further ado, and in no coherent order, here is an EU primer with a heavy sprinkling of G.R.R.Martin.

***Spoiler Warning: content up to s4e5 of the TV show or ‘A Storm of Swords’ of the books ***

“Waah!” screams Prince George, trying to alert you to the fact your freedom to protest is gone

That is an example of an alarmist title. Sorry.

Equally, the legislation in question is rather alarming. It has passed ‘committee stage’, meaning it’s close to becoming law.

Marriage tax cuts & incest & polygamy & fa’afafine

I wrote this some months ago, then almost let it slide because it was almost not relevant. Then this headline happened:

Mail Online: Married couples tax break ‘in next budget’ to try and appease Tory backbenchers over gay marriage