'So how will you achieve world peace commissioner?'

So how will you achieve world peace commissioner *designate*? Yes, the past four days have been all about Brussels’ political beauty pageant.

Over three hours, and 45 questions (often padded out with more-or-less relevant streams of an MEP’s consciousness) the commissioners-to-be have been whinging, flattering, cajoling, monotoning, joking or outright boring their way through their European Parliament hearings.

With most of the commissioner heard, some observations may be drawn....