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Lord Hill takes ‘Hugh Grant approach’ to EU hearing Lord Hill takes ‘Hugh Grant approach’ to EU hearing
(about 7 hours later)
It was billed as Hill on the Grill, but the European Parliament hearing yesterday for Britain’s EU Commissioner turned into more of a friendly fireside chat, with plenty of relaxed banter on literary giants and only the occasional hostile salvo about his ties to the City of London. It was billed as Hill on the Grill, but at first glance the European Parliament hearing for Britain’s European Commissioner appeared to be a more of a friendly fireside chat, with plenty of banter on literary giants and only the occasional hostile salvo about his ties to the City of London.
Taking what some Twitter users dubbed the Hugh Grant approach, Lord Hill employed a disarming mix of sympathy and understanding, nodding and a bit of bumbling, and some classic British self-deprecation to remove the sting from what was expected to be a tough grilling. Taking what some Twitter users dubbed the Hugh Grant approach, Lord Jonathan Hill employed a mix of sympathy and understanding, nodding and a bit of bumbling, and some classic British self-deprecation to try and remove the sting from a tough questioning session.
When European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker last month handed Lord Hill a senior economic post in his 28-member Commission, there were cries of surprise in Brussels. But, although his appearance was widely perceived as successful on the charm front, MEPs were not so convinced by his grasp on the financial markets portfolio, and called him back for a second hearing next week – making Lord Hill the first Commission candidate to face a repeat grilling.
Britain had been expected to get a minor portfolio after David Cameron’s unsuccessful attempt to prevent Mr Juncker from getting the top EU job. Members of his own party tried to offer some consolation. “Not easy to learn five years of financial regulation in 10 days,” tweeted Kay Swinburne, Tory MEP for Wales.
Instead Mr Juncker gave the former lobbyist and Conservative House of Lords leader, nominated by Mr Cameron, the post of Commissioner for Financial Services – a crucial economic sector for Britain. This led one Green MEP to say the appointment was akin to letting “a fox guard the hen-house”. A bumpy ride was to be expected. When the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, last month handed Lord Hill a senior economic post in his 28-member Commission, there were cries of surprise and then dismay in Brussels. Britain had been expected to get a minor portfolio after David Cameron’s vigorous but unsuccessful attempt to prevent Mr Juncker from getting the top EU job.
It was not only his historical ties to the City of London when working in the private sector which irked many in the European Parliament, which has to approve Mr Juncker’s Commission. Instead, Mr Juncker gave the former lobbyist and Conservative House of Lords leader the post of Commissioner for Financial Services – a crucial economic sector for Britain – leading one Green MEP to say the appointment was akin to letting “a fox guard the hen house”.
Letting a politician from a non-eurozone and often eurosceptic country take on the task of forging greater economic co-operation between the 28 EU nations also seemed inconceivable. It was not only his historical ties to the City of London when working in the private sector that  irked many in the European Parliament, which has to approve Mr Juncker’s Commission. Letting a politician from a non-eurozone and often Eurosceptic country take on the task of forging greater economic co-operation between the 28 EU nations also seemed inconceivable.
So when Lord Hill yesterday adjusted his tie and tapped his fingers ahead of his questioning by the MEPs, many people were expecting fireworks. But within seconds he started the way he intended to go on, with an opening salvo in French  proving that even a Brit can be urbane and multi-lingual. So when Lord Hill adjusted his tie in the glare of the cameras ahead of his questioning by MEPs, many people were expecting fireworks. He immediately went in for a conciliatory tone, delivering his opening salvo in French – “the language of Molière” – to prove even a Brit can be urbane and multi-lingual.
Just minutes later, he had already addressed a key concern of many in Brussels. “I want Britain to be part of a successful European Union,” he said. “That makes sense for Britain and I believe it makes sense for the European Union.” He swiftly addressed a key concern of many in Brussels. “I want Britain to be part of a successful European Union,” he said, before reassuring MEPs that he had sold all his shares and did not sit on the board of any companies.
He then reassured MEPs that he had sold all his shares and did not sit on the board of any companies, portraying himself not as the embodiment of an unelected and antiquated British peerage system, but the humble son of a “small businessman and a school teacher”. Many questions were on technicalities regarding financial markets, often followed by proclamations in favour of Shakespeare, Cervantes or Goethe to match his Molière. But some MEPs returned to the question of his allegiances, forcing Lord Hill to insist he was “not a representative of the City of London”. Ukip MEP Steven Woolfe injected a surreal element by quoting the Bible, then asking Lord Hill whether his allegiance was to the Queen or the EU.
Many questions were on technicalities regarding financial markets – often proceeded by proclamations in favour of Shakespeare, Cervantes or Goethe. But some MEPs returned to the question of his allegiances. “You who are a friend of the lobbyists, a friend of the people working in the City – it is a joke that you have portfolio,” said Italian MEP Marco Zanni. But near the end of the nearly three-hour session, it became clear that some MEPs were not convinced by his grasp of some of the complexities of banking union and financial regulation which they see as key to the EU’s recovery. “You show an impressive rhetorical brilliance, but also a lack of substance,” Germany’s Liberal MEP Michael Theurer said.
Lord Hill, however, stuck to his line of expressing patient understanding of the questioner’s point of view before insisting he would be a European Commissioner who “defends the general interests” and was “not a representative of the City of London.” Lord Hill must now work on his substance or face rejection by MEPs and end Mr Cameron’s hopes of having a friendly face in a top position.
In fact he didn’t really disagree with anyone, apart from Ukip MEP Steven Woolfe, who injected a surreal element into the proceedings by quoting the bible then asking Lord Hill whether his allegiance was to the Queen or the EU.
Towards the end of the nearly three-hour session, the British Lord appeared to have charmed the room, but there was also a creeping sense that behind the spin, he was short of concrete policy commitments. “You show an impressive rhetorical brilliance, but also a lack of substance,” German Liberal MEP Michael Theurer concluded.