What is the E.U.?
This is Kay's summary of the E.U. as it currently functions:
The European Union is a group of independent counties which work together in much the same way as a "co-operative". There are now proposals for some of the core countries to join a closer union on financial and taxation affairs to support the currency, the Euro.
How the European Union works
There are three "power bases" in the European Union:
- The Council of Ministers, which is where heads of government of each European Country meet. The Prime Minister, David Cameron represents the U.K. government as our Prime Minister at negotiations between heads of state. Other government ministers meet to discuss common issues such as foreign affairs and the environment.
- The European Parliament, which is the elected parliament with 736 MEPs in total.
- The European Commission, which is the powerful "Civil Service" of the E.U. The Commission has the power and duty to put forward and frame legislation for the E.U. Commissioners are nominated by the governments of each country, often as a means of rewarding political loyalty. Baroness Catherine Ashton of Upholland was put forward by ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, initially as the Commissioner for Trade. She has since become the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
New legislation has to be agreed by all three groups under a complex system of consultation and agreement.
In my view, this is not a structure which fairly represents the people of Europe. Our voices are not heard loudly enough.
The Liberal Democrats want to see reform of the E.U. to give a more democratic, accountable and devolved system of government.
Europe Matters
The European Union is not someone else’s project. Whether the E.U. works well or badly, it affects you in more ways than you probably realise. The achievements of peace, increasing prosperity and the spread of democracy across Europe have been extraordinary and should not be forgotten.
However, this century will see new and important challenges. The Liberal Democrats want the European Union to focus on the important challenges in an increasingly unstable world. These include climate change, economic inequality and internal security of energy supplies and food. Here in the South West, the E.U. has helped in areas where people have low incomes, like Cornwall and South Bristol. Liberal Democrat councils across the area have been very successful in attracting E.U. funding, for example to provide grants to businesses and for regeneration projects.
Liberal Democrats in the European Union
The British Liberal Democrats are part of a large grouping of European liberal parties - the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, which has 85 MEPs in 20 Countries.
These MEPs work together in the European Parliament to meet the challenges facing Europe. Their guiding principles are to build a Europe which is safe, free and fair and which works with other countries to build a more peaceful and just world.
This group holds the balance of power between the Socialist group and the Christian Democrat group in the European Parliament with other smaller parties.
Kay’s Views on the E.U.
"The big international issues such as the environment and fair world trade cannot be solved by Britain alone. We need to be part of a group of nations with a strong voice in the world. My business experience has shown that reform of the E.U. is urgently needed.
The E.U will not function well without change to ensure that we have:
- More accountability
- More devolution of power
- Less (and better) legislation
- An end to the enormous expense of two locations for the E.U. Parliament, which is hugely damaging to the popularity and credibility of the E.U.
A Europe for freedom, justice and the future - That’s what I pledge to fight for. I want my children to be proud of what we as Europeans have achieved."
