Wadhurst and Frant Conservatives
A Branch of the Wealden Constituency Conservative Association

WHAT DOES EUROPE DO FOR US?

Report of a Policy Forum held in the Greyhound on Friday 26 No 2010 with

Richard Ashworth MEP

The meeting, held in the Greyhound Inn, was attended by Conservative members from Wadhurst, Frant, Mayfield and Crowborough, and by non-members. After a hearty and very social dinner the group settled down to hear Mr Ashworth’s answer to the question posed in the title: what does Europe do for us?

He began his remarks with a challenge. The question should be “what do we want Europe to do for us?”. We shouldn’t be passive participants in Europe, and we should concentrate on the future.

Nevertheless he did give a list of what he felt had been achieved:

• Peace: Europe is the largest group of stable democratic states in the world, created from what 50 years ago was war-torn chaos. NATO has also been important in achieving this, but the prosperity brought by the EU was also necessary. The stabilising effect of Europe continues today, with the accession of former Warsaw bloc states; Balkan countries are transforming themselves in order to qualify for membership.

• Prosperity: the single market includes 500 million people; it accounts for 50% of UK overseas trade (not including Ireland), versus 17% with the USA, 8% with China.

He recommended that we look at the challenges facing us in the future and use Europe to meet them:

• Foreign Policy: the lesson of Iraq and Afghanistan is the even a superpower has no mandate to act on its own.  N Korea and Iran pose risks for the future.

• Political Power: China is becoming dominant economically, and political dominance will follow. We no longer have the certainty that Europe and the USA are The Best. Europe must work together to guarantee our children’s place in the world.

• Protectionism: Recession causes economic nationalism (“British jobs for British workers”) that in turn kills trade. The single market must be defended and extended into other areas, including services, in which the UK is strong (accountancy, building, health care etc.).

• Trading relationships: the Doha round has failed. The EU is entering bilateral trading relationships with China, India, S Korea and Brazil. These can only be achieved from a position of strength.

Finally Mr Ashworth urged us to have ambition. Brussels politicians can lack ambition. What about a North Atlantic free trade zone, including Europe and N America? This would include 50% of the world’s trade, and help to maintain our position against the emerging economies.

Comments from the floor (with RA responses)

Surely the problem is that you can’t have free trade without political union? People in the UK feel this is being forced on us.

If you want a free market you must have institutions; EFTA failed because it lacked institutions.
Master or Servant? Voters have the power to control Europe through the council.

The Council of Europe (the 27 national leaders, who together have most power in Europe) is not accountable to British voters.
Far too much money has been transferred from the UK to fund infrastructure in poorer European countries.  This is unfair on the UK tax payer.

Investing in infrastructure in poorer countries leads to economic development, prosperity and so demand for our goods and services.
All infrastructure schemes are match funded by the country benefitting.
The UK receives a rebate.
Britain has fewer EU-assisted schemes because the UK chooses to take the money back through the rebate.

European regulations stifle business, especially new and small businesses.

Even without Europe there would still be regulation, and it is unlikely there would be less.
Most regulations coming from Europe do not affect our daily lives. They relate to e.g. manufacturing standards. Having common regulations makes it easier for businesses to trade across Europe.

Why can my window cleaner not go up a ladder?
Europe favours large companies rather than citizens.

Lobbying takes place in every political system, and it is easier for large companies to lobby than individuals. Conservative MEP’s list every meeting they’ve had with a lobbyist, what was discussed, and anything they’ve received.

A European directive will destroy herbal medicine practice in the UK.

RA will make representations.

What has happened to Great Britain? It is no longer great.

Britain is still great. It has a powerful economy and is respected around the world.

There are many omissions in this account! The meeting closed at 21:45