Call out to all Spanish voters, if you haven’t added yourself on the consultate immatriculation, go to the consulate before the 9th February with your DNI/passport and a passport photo to register. At the same time, ask the consulate for papers to register to vote. They will the send you by the post the relevant documentation.
You can send your vote by recorded delivery before the 9th March
In the PSOE manifesto, there are several European proposals
the introduction of a European framework directive on public services
strengthening workers’ rights, notably through the revision of European law on worker information and consultation
a common European migration policy, defining integration policies, the fight against human trafficking and illegal migration and favouring legal migration
the creation of a common border police
regulating hedge funds and tackling financial speculation
promoting the creation of an Alliance of Civilisations at global level
introducing a solidarity mechanism for energy supply
The PES Manifesto site relates another very interesting proposal here to fight “brain drain” from the developing world is that every time Spain receives a highly skilled immigrant, like a doctor, from a developing country, the Spanish government should pay for the education and training of another highly skilled worker from that country to replace him/her. This reflects the widespread problem in Africa of doctors, nurses and other vital professionals leaving to take better paid jobs in Europe (eg. until recently there were more Malawian doctors in Manchester than in the whole of Malawi – their doctors can now be found working across the UK and other EU countries, leaving Malawi with 2 doctors for every 100,000 Malawians!).
PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen says, “We cannot have a Social Europe without a Social Spain”!
Compass Youth will be helping campaign with the Young Spanish Socialists and PES Activists in Spain. See here for more details.
But what ideas can we take from the PSOE Manifesto and adapt for the PES Manifesto and even the Labour Party Manifesto?
It engages a large, so far passive section of London’s population in choosing how London is run.
People who work in London, pay taxes in London, commute in London, raise families in London, should be made aware of their right to have a say in how London is run. Change a section of the electorate from passive by-standers to active participants in the life of the communities and wider society surrounding them.
EU Citizens living in the UK are four times less likely to be on the electoral register than UK citizens. This is a challenge to local councils to full fill their statutory duty of maximising electoral registration.
It helps with the integration of EU citizens, from old and new member states.
By activating the EU vote you help the integration of non-British EU citizens into British society. In the case of London, this means contributing to London functioning better for everybody who lives here.
Allows people to better understand their European identity, by showing them the agency the EU can give them – the same participation possibilities apply to the many Brits living in Spain, France etc.
There is a lot of talk about the democratic deficit of the EU. However, no other structure of international cooperation gives its citizens more rights to participate in the political life of wherever they live within its territory. Encouraging political participation by non-British EU citizens helps develop a deeper understanding of their European citizen-rights. The application of these citizens-rights will lead to a greater European awareness and European identity.
Electoral advantages for the Labour Party
Many issues with high prominence on the Continent are reflected positively in Ken Livingston’s work for London so far and his future plans. Ken’s environmental stance matches the interests of many Europeans, as does his support of the London Living Wage campaign, transport policy and Safer Neighbourhood policies.
The Labour Party and Ken Livingstone’s campaign in particular are best placed to benefit most from activating the European vote.
For EU workers, especially those who have recently come to the UK from new EU member states, are employed the in lower paying sectors of the labour market. We expect them to see the advantages of having a Mayor in City Hall who supports the London Living Wage campaign actively. The introduction of the minimum wage and subsequent increases of it by the Labour Government has already benefited this group of potential voters.
Even EU citizens with a temporary interest in London, who only plan to live here for a few years, benefit from re-electing an administration which is doing so much to get London moving (transport wise), to reduce anti-social-behaviour and crime by rolling out Safer Neighbourhood Teams of Police in all of London’s boroughs. Also, in many European countries environmental politics are much advanced, so Europeans living here will to a large degree support a city-administration that not only talks about tackling climate change but actively implements effective measures towards this end. Every tonne of CO2 not emitted in London has a positive impact on everywhere else on this globe.
On this last point. The global becomes local and the local becomes global, this is the process social scientists would call Glocalisation, which holds particular true in London. Ken is the one politician in London who has fully grasped this trend and is utilising it to the benefit of all Londoners.
The EU vote might be especially important in the election to the GLA, which will be held in Proportional Representation mode. It is unlikely that this part of the electorate could be attracted by discriminatory parties and therefore might help prevent the BNP from gaining a seat in the GLA.
Why the Conservatives will find it difficult to make significant inroads with the EU voters
Basically, the Tories traditional EU-phobia speaks against EU-citizens voting Tory, as the recurring notions of Conservative politicians to take the UK out of the EU would threaten EU-citizens basic right to live and work here.
Their general stance towards European integration and immigration make it doubtful that many of the EU citizens, who now do, would live and work in London had the Conservatives had their way.
Even EU citizens who would vote Conservative in their home country might find it difficult to vote Conservative in the UK. Most conservative parties on the continent have a strong link to religion and in particular Christian social teachings, which much more emphasise the importance of community and solidarity and are diametrically opposed to the Tory focus on the self-interested individual. Therefore many conservative Europeans will be more at home in the value base of the Labour Party. As the small-c-conservative Irish Catholics have found a political home in the Labour party.
What LME works on?
What we have, are well-informed guesstimates for numbers of EU citizens and their political views. I am not aware of any polling that has been done along these lines.
But should the political parties take up the challenge to actively engage this hidden electorate we will be able to see in May this year how the non-British Europeans can influence London.
With the Labour Movement for Europe in London, we have published our “Polish Voter” paper. By the way, the academic thinking behind this is being done by Henning Meyer at the Global Policy Institute at the London Metropolitan University.
We are very happy that the importance of this issue is increasingly recognised especially in the run-up to the Mayoral and GLA elections this May.
We, the Labour Movement for Europe in London and the South East of England are working on integrating an awareness of EU-citizens living in London in Labour’s electoral strategy and are in touch with people in Ken’s campaign and the London Labour party to take this further.
We are also encouraging British and non-British EU citizens to participate in the consultation process run by the Party of European Socialists to develop a manifesto for the next Election to the European Parliament in 2009. We will be holding events on this over the next couple of months.
My two recommendations
We Labour Party activists need to acknowledge the existence of the EU voter, welcome them and offer to work together for the benefit of all Londoners.
We non-British EU citizens phone our councils to register for the elections. (The registration deadline for voting in the May elections is April 16) And to participate in the debate about how London should be run in a Mayoral contest which promises to be an exciting one.
David Schoibl is Chairman of Labour Movement for Europe in London and the South East
A few days ago, we asked you to ask your questions to Mona Sahlin on the Save your Planet theme of the Manifesto 2009. Here are her answers!
Climate change is one of the most dramatic problems of our time. The world must reduce greenhouse gasses or face irreversible effects of global warming. The cost of doing nothing will be far higher than effective action now. But the actions Europe can take to combat climate change will have other benefits: renewable energy and energy efficiency will create jobs and offer new economic opportunities. A comprehensive response is required: in all policies from energy and transport to foreign and security policy; at national and European levels as well as local; by Governments, business and consumers. The PES has “A new EU energy strategy” but we need to go beyond that, and we need to agree on some top priorities for European action. We need Europe to take a global lead as well as putting its own house in order.
Read the manifesto discussion paper here. What do you think?
People don’t want to be talked to. They choose what they want to listen to. The campaign by PES activists for the consultation of the next PES manifesto will be about freewill, political phenonomenon, new tone, new tools and participation of individuals.
What do we want?
· Boost European political engagement
· Create buzz in the European socialist project
· Increase political connectivity in Europe
· Mobilise and listen to activists
· Listen to activists
How are going to do it?
· Start a new political conversation
· Open source social democracy
· Comment, consult, contribute, feedback, rate, experience
The PES Manifesto 2009
· Create a European dialogue
· Inform
· Share ideas
· Meet people
What are the themes?
· Save our planet
· New social Europe
· European democracy and diversity
· Europe in the world
We need to make our priorities, but not without connections, not without discussions and we can do it right here and right now. The PES will be the first party ever at a European level who is formulating our manifesto for the next election by using the web connections to people, by listening, by debating and promoting a new social Europe.
As the regional PES activists network, we will enable you to participate in the campaign, shaping the manifesto.
Call out to all Spanish voters, if you haven’t added yourself on the consultate immatriculation, go to the consulate before the 9th February with your DNI/passport and a passport photo to register. At the same time, ask the consulate for papers to register to vote. They will the send you by the post the relevant documentation.
It engages a large, so far passive section of London’s population in choosing how London is run.