News Releases
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Here you can find an archive of all the news items that have been on this website as well as any comments, polls or surveys.
US Trade talks herald a win-win boost for Britain
Posted,5/23/2013 2:00:00 PM
Britain can expect to benefit hugely if a comprehesive free trade agreement can be negotiated between the European Union and the USA, a leading champion of the talks said today.
Socialist Schulz - the Oliver Twist of Brussels
Posted,5/22/2013 6:00:00 PM
European Parliament President Martin Schulz should learn the meaning of budgetary discipline and stop forever demanding more, the leader of Britain's Conservative MEPs said today. Richard Ashworth said of German Socialist Mr Schulz: "He has an answer to every budgetary difficulty, but sadly it is always the same one - demanding more money from the hard-pressed taxpayer. "He must start to appreciate that there is more than one way to balance the books. In such tough economic times the right way is to spend less." Mr Ashworth was speaking as Mr Schulz was expected to deliver a stubborn ultimatum to Europe's national leaders at today's European summit in Brussels. The president has infuriated proponents of budgetary restraint by insisting that national governments immediately pay in full €11.2bn to cover the EU's unpaid bills from last year - before negotiations can restart to settle the bloc's long-term budget blueprint up to 2020. South East MEP Mr Ashworth said: "He is the Oliver Twist of Brussels. Always wanting more, never able to make do with less, a stranger to the idea of budgetary discipline. "He may be trying to blackmail Europe's elected leaders by adopting such an aggressive and uncompromising position, but the people he is really holding to ransom are Europe's taxpayers. "When tough spending choices are being made across the continent, when police officers, soldiers, carers and labourers are all losing their jobs, nobody can remotely justify handing over more money for the EU to lavish on vanity projects, pork-barrel politics and its own bureaucracy."
EU banking union sets in place the basis of a multi-speed Europe
Posted,5/22/2013 1:00:00 PM
An agreement reached on the EU Banking Union is a 'seminal' moment that sets in place a mechanism for a multi-speed EU, Kay Swinburne MEP said today as MEPs held a vote on a single supervisor for Eurozone banks.
MEPs in dust-up over Euro
Posted,5/22/2013 12:00:00 PM
In an unprovoked attack today, German MEP Elmar Brok criticised Yorkshire and The Humber Conservative MEP Timothy Kirkhope over his continued opposition to the Euro currency. During a debate on European monetary union, Mr Brok accused Mr Kirkhope of failing to understand the benefits of membership of the euro for all European countries - including the UK. As one of the leading opponents of UK involvement in the euro and a staunch supporter of the pound, Mr Kirkhope was angry at the astonishing attack. "I was surprised at Mr Brok's outburst," said Mr Kirkhope. "He may be frustrated at the fact that Germany has been baling out other Member States who subscribe to the Euro currency, but he has no right to criticise me or the UK for its decision to remain outside of it. "I will be asking Mr Brok for an apology and reminding him that I will continue to fight against any proposal to oblige the UK to lose its pound. "These matters are for the British people to decide and I am sure they will always want to keep the pound."
Callanan: EU summit should bring concrete results on energy prices and tax evasion
Posted,5/21/2013 5:00:00 PM
Speaking in a debate in the European Parliament ahead of tomorrow’s European Council meeting, European Conservatives and Reformists group leader Martin Callanan said that the agenda contained two ‘worthy’ and ‘concrete’ issues – tax evasion and energy prices – that need concrete action to make Europe more competitive.
Conservatives win through for UK Offshore Oil and Gas industry
Posted,5/21/2013 1:00:00 PM
British MEPs today declared victory in their long-running battle over offshore oil safety rules.
Yes to tackling tax evasion - No to a common euro-tax!
Posted,5/21/2013 9:00:00 AM
Conservative MEPs will today refuse to back moves which they fear would be a first step towards a common corporation tax - imposed right across Europe and decided in Brussels.
Deva says we must stop the rise of Jihadist states in Africa
Posted,5/15/2013 5:00:00 PM
A conference of donor nations and charities in Brussels today aims to mobilise and coordinate support for strife-torn Mali.
Britain's long-term EU budget goal "in sight"
Posted,5/15/2013 1:00:00 PM
Agreement on an extra €7.3 billion in this year's EU budget should pave the way for a long-term spending settlement which delivers a series of key British objectives, the leader of the UK's Conservative MEPs said today. Richard Ashworth was speaking after Finance Ministers sitting in the EU Council decided by qualified majority that in theory they would allow the extra spending towards unpaid bills run up last year by member states - including Britain - on EU projects. The European Parliament, which has co-decision powers with the Council on budget matters, has insisted that key negotiations on the EU's long-term budget blueprint to 2020 could go no further until the matter of the so-called "draft amending budget" for 2013 was settled. The UK along with Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands were in a minority in opposing the extra spending, but Mr Ashworth said today that what might appear to be a backward step could help deliver a better long-term deal for Britain in the seven-year Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF). In announcing its new position, Council said the extra money for 2013 would only be finally approved once MEPs agreed final terms on the long-term budget. Mr Ashworth said: "If this measure is finally agreed next week between Parliament and Council, it should mean Britain achieving its key goals for the long-term budget - including the Prime Minister's historic deal for the first ever budget reduction. We should see the seven-year budget fall by 3.3 per cent and a lid firmly put on the idea of the EU raising its own funding through own-resources taxation. "All of those are worth striving for and it is now incumbent on the Parliament to accept the current position and stop coming back with demands for more cash." As a key UK negotiator in the Parliament on budget, the South East MEP has been concerned that the political log-jam over the 2013 budget could threaten the prospects of a sound seven-year agreement. He said: "The issue of the amending budget has been a cloud over our talks, but it could prove to have a silver lining if it helps deliver the right agreement on MFF. This puts a good long-term deal in sight."
Welcome for serious action on petrol-price allegations
Posted,5/15/2013 11:00:00 AM
Conservative MEP Vicky Ford, who has consistently pushed for EU action against petrol price-fixing, today welcomed the launch of a major investigation into manipulation of the oil and petrol market. Working in co-operation with Harlow MP Robert Halfon, Mrs. Ford has tabled a series of parliamentary questions in Brussels urging the European Commission to probe serious allegations of price-manipulation levelled against major oil companies. Yesterday the Commission announced a wide-ranging investigation as officials raided the offices of leading firms including Shell and BP. Mrs. Ford, MEP for the East of England and Conservative spokesman on Industry, Research and Energy, said: "We have been working together to give the Commission a serious push on this issue. "I persistently questioned them and urged them to sit up and take notice of this important issue. It is very pleasing that now they have. "Sometimes when you ask questions of the EU you feel as though they disappear into a black hole, but it looks as though this time the right people have listened. "I hope the investigation now underway will be as thorough and wide-reaching as it needs to be to root out any malpractice and reassure consumers that in future they will not be cheated. "Motorists need be in the driving seat - not taken for a ride."