Off to Brussels

J Clive Matthews 12 October 2007

Subjects:

The Poll

About the author

A freelance writer and editor based in London, J Clive Matthews is Managing Editor of openDemocracy's EU and deliberative democracy blog, dLiberation.

In the real world he has co-authored two books and edited numerous others (ranging in subject-matter from movies to modern Russian politics), been acting editor on a glossy history and travel magazine, editorial consultant for a big name women's magazine, a freelance news editor for AOL UK, worked in both the House of Commons and the European Commission, and contributed to publications as diverse as Starburst and the Times Literary Supplement.

Best known as Nosemonkey online, he has been blogging about British and European politics daily for several years both at his own blog and sites like The Sharpener, General Election 2005 (now defunct), AgoraVox, France 24 and the Washington Post / Newsweek's Postglobal, as well as about movies for the BBC, and has been shortlisted for blog awards by the likes of the Guardian, Deutsche Welle International and the Weblog Awards, amongst others.

All being well in two hours I'll be on a Eurostar, two hours after that in Brussels. Then I need to keep my fingers crossed - I've still had no confirmation that I'm registered to attend, and have had no confirmation of the schedule, location, or anything.

This evening I should be reporting back from the introductory press briefing (somewhere in the European Parliament building at around 5:30 local time) and the first deliberation session (on pensions - what fun!). But without any details, and with no confirmation of whether there will be internet access available, I may end up reporting from my hotel room instead... Wish me luck - and if the worst comes to the worst, expect reports and pictures on Monday.