Speech by Conservative leader in the European Parliament, Philip Bushill-Matthews MEP, to the Conservative Party conference
Posted, October 02, 2008 @ 14:00
1st October 2008
Thank you Andrew.
It is a particular privilege to be the first Leader of the MEPs to stand before Conference in this great city of Birmingham and say: Welcome to my home constituency!
At the European Parliamentary elections next June, a number of MEP colleagues have chosen not to stand again. Three are standing down for the very best of reasons: Jonathan Evans, Chris Heaton-Harris and Neil Parish. They have been selected as PPCs to fight seats at the next General Election. They want to support David Cameron in Westminster. With your support they’ll get there!
So we should have many new MEPs in 2009 – And let me invite you (also) to applaud some of the candidates here in the front row who are next-in-line in each region, and who are working so hard to become an MEP: As they stand up – Please give them all a resounding welcome! You may have noticed a difference about the new team… Conference: they represent a real changing of the Guard.
But one thing will not change: The commitment of the whole team to making a difference, to working for the Conservative vision of Europe:a Europe of free trade, free markets and free choice – a Europe fit for the future, and above all, a Europe that listens to the people!
Labour’s vision is so very different, and we saw that vision at their Manchester conference last week when they all voted to scrap our UK opt-out from the EU Working Time Directive!
At a time when many people are trying to make ends meet, struggling to pay for rising food and energy bills, wanting to work more overtime to help out – Labour believes that people shouldn’t decide their own hours, that even the Government shouldn’t be allowed to decide: they want the EU to decide for us!
So let the message from our Conference be equally clear: Conservatives believe that the working hours of British workers should be set in Britain, not in Brussels!
Labour MEPs of course have always voted to end our opt-out. But then Labour believe that politicians know what is best for people, and that European politicians know best of all. We know they’re wrong on both counts! Conference – Labour policies are past their sell-by date, in Brussels as well as Britain.
There needs to be real reform in Europe – But first we have to see off the Lisbon Treaty. Labour of course are very happy with the Lisbon Treaty. It is fiercely federalist, so they love it! Liberal Democrats say they are not so happy with the Treaty……… because it is not federalist enough!
But if you ask the people…. they don’t want it at all! That’s why Gordon Brown broke his promise to ask the people, because they might have given the right answer! At least we can thank the Irish people for giving that answer.
That answer now needs to be heard!
Conference: the European Commission has said that if the Treaty was not ratified in any one country there would be no plan B.... Conservatives offer a Plan B: The Treaty is dead – so B is for Burial…..!
Meanwhile....there is one referendum that is already fixed – a date Gordon Brown cannot duck: the European Parliament elections next June. This will be the first national referendum on Gordon Brown.
Does the country want a Prime Minister who not only dithers in Britain but dithers in Brussels? Or do we want a Prime Minister prepared to lead, who understands the challenges of our broken society back home, and who understands the need for real reform in Europe?
Next June will be a referendum about Leadership – Conference: there is only one way to vote.
Next June we will have the opportunity – to give the clearest of signals to Downing Street, and the clearest of signals to Brussels:That the old policies of the Left have had their day. We will have the opportunity, not given to every generation, to firmly consign the Left to the past where they belong…
It is time to make way for the future.
It is time for change. It is time for David Cameron.