Liberal Democrat Member of the European
Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber
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Diana Wallis Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber |
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| Speech delivered by Diana Wallis MEP to the Liberal Democrat Conference, Manchester, 9th March 2002. 11/03/2002 |
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This week in the Parliament in Brussels I had a group of forty visitors from my constituency of Yorkshire and the Humber. It is always interesting with visitors to see their reaction to the European Parliament. Also it is a chance to hear presentations from representatives of the other institutions about their work. Like, for example, the young British civil servant from the UK Rep in Brussels, telling us how the Foreign and Commonwealth office organise their Brussels operation based on Whitehall departments, and how the operation is called ‘EU Command’! This would seem to imply a vision of a relationship where Downing Street seeks to command the EU. With this Government nothing would surprise me!
I think it is time to get a few facts straight about Europe and democracy, about what it means to be European. So I hope Command Centre at Downing Street is listening in. I would like to elaborate these facts under the headings chosen by our new Liberal President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, for the priorities for his term of office. We all have to have three somethings; he has three Rs: Reform, Re-connecting (the citizen with Europe) and Reunification. Reform. The reform that our president has in mind is reform of the parliament, how we operate and do our work there. Some of my colleagues are members of the Campaign for Parliamentary Reform and I applaud their work. But let’s get this in to perspective. The European Parliament has been in existence for just over twenty years, evolving from a powerless assembly to a Parliament that today attracts literally thousands of lobbyists to base their operations in Brussels – so we must be doing something that is just a little bit important to someone. But we are still a relatively new parliament, in a constant state of evolution, trying to make our legislative processes better, more streamlined, more transparent, more accessible and so we should. Yet by comparison, what reform has there been of process and procedure at Westminster? That place where people still occasionally dress up in historical costume, sit on woolsacks and indulge in ritualised debate about the Prime Minster’s engagements whilst having to bob up and down for several hours in the hope that they will get called in a debate. A parliament where a government in possession of a large majority does not have to bother about accountability, not even to its own backbenchers: that can’t be democracy! Contrast this with a European Parliament where final votes on legislation often hang on a majority of one vote or even an equality of votes. Where any single member from any party can, by building a consensus, take a piece of legislation through the whole process. Where the party with the most consistent and coherent voting record is the Liberal group and where that group is also the so-called ‘swing’ group, pivotal between the extremes of right and left. Of course I’m somewhat partisan, and yes I know that Europe and its institutions do not always attract the best of press. But if I look at my experience as a local councillor and if I look at this government’s present troubles, I would pose the question – is any tier of government ever likely to be loved? Administrations and politicians at any level are there to be shot at. But what is important is process, a democratic process in which we know that our voice can get heard, that our vote will count, that we can make a difference. I and my colleagues experience that most weeks in the European Parliament We are by our input able to make a fundamental difference. By putting that success together with our colleagues at Westminster and elsewhere we should be an unstoppable team holding the government to account. Yet how do we help our citizens, our electorate, become more aware of our effectiveness? This brings me to our Liberal president’s second theme – Reconnecting: reconnecting Europe with its citizens. The government’s view is to reconnect us through them, the national government – high command; any other route might mean a loss of control. So Mr Straw wants to strengthen the Council’s role, tighten the grip held by minsters and civil servants meeting in secret, less accessible, mostly unscrutinised. And when the UK Parliament does attempt to scrutinise EU legislation it ends up being the most inappropriate items, and too late in the process. On one occasion we checked, one of the committees was considering the subsidies paid to Greek olive growers! We have to promote a better system. To hold ministers and government to account. Their idea of openness in Council, letting in the TV cameras during the breaks allows us to see Herr Schroeder teasing Tony with the Euro, is good fun but hardly democracy in action. As MEPs we receive constituency letters and casework on many issues, some where the European linkage is tenuous to say the least, but many where the ultimate result of the action requested would be more legislation at a European level, more involvement from Europe. This is the debate we need to have about where and if it is appropriate for Europe to intervene. In its normal management speak Mr Straw on behalf of the Government has indicated they just want Europe to work on ‘outcomes’, I mistrust this management speak, especially when they have n’t been very successful with outcomes here at home, what outcomes do we have in our health service, our schools and our transport infrastructure under Labour. It is surely our citizens that need to be able to make democratic choices about what they require of Europe. Think of what our citizens are doing now, freely moving about Europe. There is hardly a school I visit where the youngest children are not in e-mail contact with their counterparts in another EU country, which many will eventually visit. How many of our young people now study in universities in other European countries or go to work there? The nephew of one of my visitors last week had just qualified as a vet. He met us as he is now working in Belgium being able to do so by virtue of the mutual recognition of qualifications achieved by the EU. How many of our senior citizens now retire to or spend their winters in Southern Europe? The old frontiers and barriers have gone. This is an exciting and open new Europe. Of course we should seek to protect and assist our citizens by appropriate legislation as we encourage them to move about, ensuring that when they purchase items or property, marry or do business across frontiers, if things go wrong there is a justice system that they can access almost as simply as if they were at home. But that does not necessarily mean that we should always pass EU laws. I remember last year a number of Tory colleagues signed a proposal to get European legislation to regulate off-piste skiing, a sport by definition that people engage in at their own risk away from organised tourist activities. You might as well propose EU legislation against avalanches! A strange deviation for those who want to be in Europe but not run by Europe! But at least these citizens who contact us have appreciated that they have a potential ally in European parliamentarians and that Europe might deliver for them. So this is the debate we need to have about where and if it is appropriate for Europe to intervene. We now have the historic chance to do this; to influence the future shape of Europe. As some will know the Convention on the Future of Europe is now meeting, bringing together parliamentarians from all levels and places and including a good Liberal contingent. The Convention may end by proposing some kind of ‘constitutional treaty’ for Europe, that is a nice balance: neither a Treaty -which would still be inter-governmental - nor a constitution - which would be too federal for some! In a sense what you call it does not matter, but it does matter that our citizens at least feel they have had some part in this process, that they are connected. The Convention does not look the most representative of bodies. It might redeem itself, if they could follow the advice of someone in our party who said if you have something to say, stick it on a piece of paper and put it through the letterbox. How about a covenant or settlement between Europe’s institutions and its citizens sent to every household setting the terms of the new relationship? We might even have a referendum on it, like the Good Friday Agreement, that would really encourage debate. The more we hide from debate the more we give credence to the Europhobes. Our Liberal president’s last R, Reuniting is about enlargement. Reuniting us with those countries of central and eastern Europe. Extending the guarantee of peace and prosperity which the European Union has provided to its existing members for some 50 years. This will be the big challenge, because only if we get the structure of Europe right, will we preserve that which is good about Europe, that which attracts the applicant states to want to join us. Given the stifling regimes of state control from which they have emerged, we must ensure that the Europe they join is open, transparent and accountable to its citizens. It is no good Mr Blair calling a dinner party with selected European chums to transact business; Europe has to operate on the basis of equality and democracy! As Liberal Democrats we have a chance to play a leading role in that at the beginning of June for six months, as we will have a Liberal President of the European Council as it will then be headed by the Danish Prime Minister, a Liberal President of the Commission, and a Liberal President of the Parliament. But that chance is not just for those three gentlemen, nor even just for MEPs, it is a chance for every Liberal Democrat, we are all European Liberal Democrats. Historically this party has always led the debate on Europe. Many of us joined the party because of Europe. If ever there was a time we should be out there campaigning on Europe, making the case for joining the Euro, making the case for a more democratic Europe, making the case for an enlarged Europe it is now. When my visitors group left the European Parliament they were buzzing with enthusiasm and excitement for more Europe. Sadly we can’t take everyone there, I wish we could, but we can, if we campaign together bring Europe to them. Lets do it! |
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