Diana Wallis Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber

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Speech by Diana Wallis MEP, Leader of the UK Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament at the Federal Conference Brighton 22 September 2003 24/09/2003

Well colleagues, we have a truly European morning at a Liberal Democrat conference; speeches from two liberal leaders of our European Parliament groups and a debate on our pre manifesto for next year’s elections to the European Parliament. Which other British political party would dare to have a morning devoted to open debate and comment about Europe? Certainly not the Tories, and of course, Labour still too timid to grasp the issue – every time Cook, Hain or MacShane (that rhymes quite nicely) say anything remotely progressive or interesting they get pulled back into line. Contrast this with the introduction to our policy document written by Charles - nothing could be a clearer commitment to our positive stance on Europe. Positive but also ready to be a candid and critical friend when necessary. This of course reflects the membership of our party. Our party’s consistent views on Europe over the years have drawn in many people indeed I was one of them. Many of our voters share this perception of us and support us for this reason; this is all important for the coming year and elections on a proportional system. We can say what we think and we should say what we think as this for once is not about tactical voting. One thing struck me about last Thursday’s brilliant victory by Sarah in Brent; the number of people who had voted for us because of our stance on the war. We took a principled stand on a matter of international affairs where we were at one, and our supporters in turn were at one with the majority of people across Europe. Is it not just possible that that same feeling for one international matter where we spoke up could be transferred in many cases to the issues of that surround our relationship with the European Union? If we can say what we think, we should be positive. Let me give you 10 reasons to be positive, let me tell you something about the work of my 10 Liberal Democrat colleagues in Brussels. We have Elspeth Atwooll known for her work on fisheries, agriculture and employment; Nick Clegg an acknowledged expert for his work on international trade issues; Chris Davies a key figure in a range of environmental legislation; Andrew Duff a leading player in the work of the Convention; Chris Huhne one of the most respected voices on economic issues; Sarah Ludford a leading advocate on civil liberties; Liz Lynne the author of an outstanding report on rights for people with disabilities; Bill Newton Dunn a key contributor on defence and foreign affairs; Emma Nicholson a outstanding champion of the people of Afghanistan and Iraq; Graham Watson acknowledged for his leading role on balanced anti-terrorism legislation. As their leader I am very proud of the work they do. This work is done mostly in Brussels; Brussels is one of the places MEPs work and in the case of our group, as I’ve hinted, work very successfully. I could not help noticing that in Brent we appeared, in one of our leaflets to be a little surprised that the Labour candidate, as an MEP, worked in Brussels, well it sort of comes with the job! We also of course live and work in our constituencies. We have estimated, in round figures, that between us since the 1999 elections we have visited something like 250 schools and universities, around 700 businesses and voluntary organisations and attended over 1600 Liberal Democrat events! Some going when we are only in the country part of our time! Next year, as I have made clear, we have the chance for the first time to campaign on the very successful record of our current MEPs in a proportional election. This is a situation some years ago we would have dreamed of. Now it is a reality. Let’s go for it! Never was there so much at stake. I shall try to explain why. There is a tendency for all parties to play down the Euro Elections as they are called. Let’s start there because it is part of the problem. ‘Euro Elections’. Just exactly what does that mean? Elections about Europe, elections about the single currency? No. What we are doing is electing representatives, parliamentarians to a parliament, to make decisions for us on a range of important issues over the next five years. A parliament that has increasingly more power. So it is important when talking about these elections that we say elections to the European Parliament. Otherwise voters are left with a misleading view that either somehow these elections are a choice about our relationship with Europe, a sort of referendum that they have to date been denied or they are some other euro thing that doesn’t matter; one that provides them with an opportunity to have a little dabble, to have a fling with other parties that they might not normally consider voting for. In short, to use these elections for all sorts of reasons other than electing representatives to the European Parliament. These elections must be about politics and electing politicians as normal and, judging by Thursday’s result, we have nothing to fear from that. We have to clarify for people the politics of Europe, the politics of the European parliament and that if they vote for the Tories they are indirectly voting for the party of Mr Berlusconi and his far right wing cohorts, and that if they vote for Labour, this is not new labour, (some might of cause be pleased about that) but the European Party of Socialists. In this current parliamentary mandate our liberal family has held the balance in the parliament between these two groups. It depends on our numbers and, indeed critically, the increased numbers we can send from the UK, whether we can hold that position again. If we do not, the new parliament could be an old pal’s act between the right and the left. A right that contains some fairly nasty far-right elements and a left that in parts could look like the worst of old Labour with the addition of unreformed Trotskyites from Eastern Europe. What a prospect! That is why it is our duty not to allow the electorate to go off and have a flirt when they elect European parliamentarians next year. And it is important to break-up this unlikely yet cosy arrangement of the left and right. Let me give you an idea of some of the worthwhile pieces of legislation that are being blocked by elements of right and left in the current Parliament: the Takeover Directive, that would protect the rights of small shareholders in a takeover situation; the Consumer Credit Directive, that would get to grips with irresponsible lending – and we are a country that has 42% of Europe’s consumer debt, the consolidation of the Public Procurement Directives, where others want to stop the inclusion of environmental or local criteria that would be so critical to many of our local authorities; the recognition of Professional Qualifications to allow many types of professional, but critically health professionals to work throughout Europe; and of course the infamous Member’s Statute, providing much needed reform of MEPs expenses regime, blocked by an unholy coalition of left and right. These and many other actual bread and butter issues are at stake as the voters choose which party to vote for next year. I get very annoyed when people, mainly other politicians, try to tell us that the legislation from the European Parliament is very technical. Yes it often is. But we should not be so patronising, rather we should be exposing the political choices that lay beneath each of these technical issues. For example we are currently dealing with a directive on the patentability of computer generated inventions; we have been lobbied to death by various individuals. This is about liberty, about choice, about protecting innovative small enterprises and the consumer. These are political choices, not just technical ones. That’s why it matters who is elected to the European Parliament. And that’s why it matters that we urge the electorate to send more Liberal Democrats to the European Parliament. That is why we as Liberal Democrats all have to work over the next year to make European issues and the politics of European issues visible as never before, because nobody else will – it is not in their interest. But I underline the all, which means every Westminster colleague and the organisation in every constituency; that means every councillor, especially where they face elections with us on the same day. This has to be a truly integrated and united campaign that I believe only our party is capable of, especially under the leadership of our new Chief Executive. How was he described in The Independent? - the political anorak from Liverpool - well he is certainly an anorak that the other parties would like to have. It has been one of my missions as the leader of our group in Brussels to increase our contact with the Westminster party. It has taken a while, but we now have a regular schedule of meetings – I sometimes think as I walk through the entrance there, they think ‘it’s that woman from Brussels again on about referendums and other Euro stuff!’ Yet this is only because I feel passionately that we have to make Europe more visible here at home. I recall during the Convention process one of Labours senior representatives, an MP, saying at a meeting I attended; ‘MEPs are the ones that nobody ever sees with all the power, whereas MPs are the ones everyone see but without the power’. To change that lies within are own resources here at home: by better, more extensive and public scrutiny of EU legislation, before the event, not when it is too late – when we have piles of fridges around the countryside! By more joint working, cross party, between MP and MEPs, perhaps a formal properly staffed committee or maybe we could even take a lesson from our Dutch colleagues and give MEPs the right to speak in the House of Commons in debate on European matters – then European issues might hit home. It would be novel, certainly different. The issues that MEPs decide on have huge resonance with our citizens. A look at the correspondence received in our constituency offices proves that. The electorate is not daft, they know something is going on in Brussels and, more often than not, it is a something that they see could be useful to them. So it can be important for our growing success at Westminster to show that we are the party on top of the European agenda. The party that is watching, caring and shaping what happens in the European Parliament in a sensible way. Not just saying no or conveniently blaming things on Europe. A poll in the summer showed that 52% of British citizens thought a European constitution would be a good thing. That 52% has already seen through the rhetoric of other parties. Now we should be the party that shows how Europe can indeed be made to work for them and others. It is not only at Westminster that we have to show the relevance of what happens in the European parliament, indeed I frequently receive motions from local councils on European issues – so all the more reason to work together. There are multitudes of items on which we have been active and successful in Brussels which we can campaign on together to show that a Liberal Democrat vote in whatever election is equally worthwhile, to show that we are an indivisible and unstoppable team at all levels. Let me finish with a story from this year’s council elections. I was canvassing with one of our candidates in York; we were talking to an elderly gentleman about local services. He appeared supportive. I introduced myself as the local MEP; he looked non-plussed then said he was sorry but that he and his wife no longer travelled! I don’t think he thought I was about to offer him a free trip to Brussels but I do think that he thought that the European Parliament did not matter to him if he did not leave our shores. That is the legacy that previous governments of both persuasions have left us because of their fear and dread of talking about Europe. This is the mountain we have to climb, to explain to the British public where we are with Europe and what it does and can do for them. We have to be clear that this is the party that appreciates that there is no option but full engagement in all Europe’s institutions if we want to play in Europe’s premier division. To those who think we can pick and choose a la carte and stay out of certain aspects, take a look at the Norwegians: stuck in the European Economic Area, the 2nd Division of Europe, with no representatives in the parliament and no say on the legislation they must accept. Is it any wonder then, that opinion polls in Norway consistently show a positive majority to join and to play in the top division? Then there are those who advocate a loose relationship –part of wider Europe. Well that would put us somewhere down in the Unibond league with the likes of Belarus and Moldova. I believe we have a more go-getting aspiration for our country. I also believe that having taken such a principled stand on the war in Iraq, as last Thursday proved, Liberal Democrats may be the one major political force in this country which has not lost the trust of the electorate. That is a very privileged position; a position that gives us a chance to show that participation in Europe can be made to work for our citizens by the way the title of our pre-manifesto suggests by solving those common problems facing the people of Europe through shared solutions!

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