LME has written to David Cameron with a series of questions about his baffling attitude to Europe. Here is a copy of the letter, which we have also released to the media.

Dear Mr Cameron,

We are writing to you today to try and clarify your position on the EU. We have been confused by your recent statements on Europe and so we have an number of questions we hope you can answer.

1. Opting out of the Charter of Rights

Why opt out of a Charter of Rights that simply ensures that the EU has to respect fundamental rights and that any EU legislation that fails to do so, can be struck down by the courts? It is a safeguard, not a threat!

2. Giving UK law primacy over EU law

What is the point of agreeing common rules at EU level if each country is then free to break its agreements and override them by new national laws? Britain won its court case against France when they continued to ban British beef after it was declared safe, precisely because countries must live up to what they have agreed to. If French law had primacy over EU law, they would still be banning our beef!

3. Opting out of the Social Chapter of the Treaty

Having common rules for the common market on some aspects of social legislation ensures a level playing field, a single set of rules for companies to follow instead of the costly confusion of 27 sets of rules in a single market, and gives all workers, including British workers, basic rights and protections. Why should British workers be denied the rights enjoyed by their counterparts across Europe? What is so wrong with this legislation, that is accepted by every other government, including conservative governments, in Europe? You have mentioned the Working Time Directive – legislation that was NOT adopted under the Social Chapter (it is health & safety legislation) and was approved by the Council of Ministers under the last Conservative government with Britain abstaining. Didn’t you know this?

4. Opting out of co-operation on Criminal Justice

Are you aware that Britain already has, under Lisbon, the right to opt-in or opt-out of legislation in this field? Not that we should – criminal gangs operate across borders and we need to co-operate with our neighbouring countries in fighting them – but we can already choose which measures to sign up to.

And how do you respond to the comments of Pierre Lellouche, the French Europe Minister, who describes your plans as “pathetic” and says that your plans to try and renegotiate long-standing agreements will not work, as EU members want to concentrate on tackling big issues such as climate change, trade and security, rather than reopen discussions on things agreed by all countries?

We hope that you can answer our questions because there is a lack of clarity in your supposed pledges that indicate they have not been thought through and are intended simply to placate, for the time being, the extreme eurosceptic element in your party.

We look forward to hearing from you.

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We’ll keep you posted here on any response we might receive.

Below are the unofficial results from the European parliament elections in the Netherlands. Officially, member states are not supposed to release results until the last polling station closes on Sunday evening, but the Dutch government says transparency is equally important. The Netherlands narrowly escaped a lawsuit after releasing unofficial results during the 2004 EU elections. Read the full nrc.nl article by following this link.

http://www.nrc.nl/international/europe/article2262660.ece/EU_election_results_from_the_Netherlands

PvdA (Dutch PES member party) looses 4 seats down from 7 to 3.

Geert Wilders’  far-right Freedom Party gains 4 seats.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jun/05/european-elections-the-netherlands-far-right

It does not feel like it in the UK, but these European elections are actually about something. The European Parliament is the only directly elected institution of the EU. Whichever political group holds a relative majority within it matters in more then one way. Which potential cross party majorities are possible after the elections will have an impact on the next 5 years of policy making on the European level.

In the last 5 years the conservative EPP-ED was the largest group in the European Parliament. 21 out of 27 member-state governments are run/dominated by conservatives. A majority of Commissioners are Conservative as is the President of the European Commission.

Conservatives in Europe have been driving a neo-liberal agenda, liberalising markets and doing nothing to prevent the economic crisis or at least attempting to engineer a softer landing. The Party of European Socialists PES (of which the Labour Party is a member) has been calling for years for better regulation of financial markets, and decisive action against tax havens and tax fraud.

It is of particular irony – if latest opinion polls are to be trusted – that voters in the UK are flocking to the Tories who have been part of the European conservatives who have been responsible for those policies coming out of Brussels which voters do not like. 

UK voters are moving to the Conservatives and UKIP, if polls are right. Both parties are advocating less Social Europe – especially for workers in Britain- and some Tories are trying in Westminster to effectively do away with the minimum wage. UKIP and Tories alike have voted against the ending of the UK opt out on the Working Time Directive. They want a Europe of free trade only, with as little human rights, as little welfare state and as little protection of the environment as possible.

A land slide victory for the Tories/UKIP in these elections will do irreparable damage to Britain’s long term national interest and in particular the interest of a vast majority of her citizens. Low and middle income earners in the UK need more Social Europe not less, need more effective European and global regulation of financial markets.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage MEP holds the view that too much EU regulation is responsible for the economic crisis. I am sure Poul Nyrop Rasmussen MEP (PES president) did not know whether to laugh or cry standing next to Nigel on “Record Europe” (the BBC EU news show). Farage pointing to his expertise on the subject – “I have worked as an investment banker in the City of London” is therefore attempting too steal the mantle from the Tories for UKIP to be the new political wing of the banking sector.

Economic crisis, banker bonuses, tax havens, tax evasion and tax avoidance, that’s yesterday’s news.

The British electorate is going to make a momentous decision on the future of Britain and the future of Europe without realising it, being too distracted by MP expenses.

Keep fighting for Britain’s future! – Vote Labour on June 4!

I got a letter from the leader of the British National Party, Nick Griffin: I have found it last Saturday morning, along with the party’s magazine “Hope & Glory” and a standing order form (just in the case I would like to subscribe to the party).
I do not think they have now started targeting people like me – I have clearly a name that reveals I am not a member of  “this island race” (to put it in their own words) not to mention a red and yellow “Vote Labour” poster on the window. All the material was anonymously put in my letterbox.

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