Environment key to Euro Election campaign
May 5, 2004 12:00 AM
Charles Kennedy MP today put the environment centre-stage at the launch of the Party's European election campaign in the run up to elections on Thursday 10th June.
Launching the Party's Manifesto, titled Making Europe Work for You, at Party Headquarters in London, Charles Kennedy said, "These are extraordinary times for Europe and for Britain's position within Europe. A democratic transformation almost beyond imagination is taking place."
"Yet, at one and the same time, Britain finds itself inadequately engaged at the heart of Europe. A decision over the Single Currency remains delayed; the Prime Minister has arrived at the necessary need for a referendum on the constitutional treaty for reasons which smack more of expediency than political principle."
"But it is Iraq which has done the most damage. It is a breathtaking leap to choose to distance our country so dramatically from both the United Nations and the European Union at one and the same time. Yet that is the path which Tony Blair has chosen. These days, Prime Minister, over Britain's role in a sane world order, you no longer speak in our name. You appear increasingly isolated, Britain appears increasingly isolated. We are voting for something better."
"We Liberal Democrats see the European Union for what it is: a way of tackling shared problems, upholding shared values, settling disputes between traditionally fractious neighbours and applying the rule of law to agreements that have been entered into."
"Voters can use the European elections to help make Europe work better to deliver peace, prosperity and action on the environment. We can continue working to ensure peace and security after centuries of European war and we can work together to fight new threats."
"Our prosperity in Britain also depends upon what we can sell across Europe. Well over half of what we sell abroad goes to European Union countries. By working together can we make Europe a better place to do business and that means creating jobs. By enforcing competition within this enormous market, we can help keep prices down. Acting as a trading bloc with other European Union countries improves the way we can trade with the richest nations and helps us to promote fair trade with developing nations."
"The Liberal Democrats are distinctive in the main parties in putting concern for the environment at the heart of our approach. We believe that people recognise the benefits of Europe working together to tackle pollution and give a lead to environmental protection throughout the world. Tackling air and water pollution requires tough action at the European level - action which has been strongly supported by the Liberal Democrats - and we are right to be very proud of our record in the European Parliament on environmental issues."
"The fight against crime also needs more international co-operation than ever before to tackle threats that originate in and are co-ordinated across many countries. We need to make Europe work better to fight organised crime and threats from terrorists that are on a far greater scale than we have faced before."
"Of course the European Union isn't perfect, nor is the way that we do things at Westminster. But you have to be part of it if you want to change it."
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