Graham's blog entry 14 March 2008

Published on Fri 14th Mar 2008

The atlantic storm which hit the UK on Sunday night reached Brussels on monday morning, causing flights to Strasbourg to be cancelled and generally disrupting parliamentary business. I had escaped to Brussels Sunday night and travelled on overland, so was present to speak in the debate on Gaza and castigate both Israel and Hamas for their mindless violence. Opinion among my colleagues is divided, but all agree that the EU should stop following blindly the American lead. (For my speech, visit http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+CRE+20080310+ITEM-015+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN&query=INTERV&detail=1-041.)

I also had the chance to tell the Leader of the Socialist Group that he was wrong to accuse Commission President Barroso of ignoring social cohesion. In an open letter last week to 27 heads of state and government he positioned himself as one of the scourges of capitalism, claiming that the EU's policy of economic liberalisation is causing social breakdown. While I share his concerns about low pay and the impact of structural change on older, less skilled working people I am hugely impressed by the latest evidence of how freer trade is creating jobs and wealth. (For example, of every USD 100 invested in the global economy 20 years ago less than a dollar went into developing countries: today that figure is 38 dollars.) Is inequality a problem? Sure! But sometimes we Liberals should be more bullish in our defence of global capitalism. (For my speech, see http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+CRE+20080312+ITEM-003+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN&query=INTERV&detail=3-012.)

According to The Sunday Times, sleaze in Brussels is as prevalent as at Westminster. They report that SW Tory MEP Giles Chichester has been caught paying his MEP secretarial allowance into his family's business; and UKIP Leader Nigel Farage employing his son (in full time education at Exeter Univ) as a researcher. So often, it is those who seek election to "clean up" Brussels who become the worst offenders. Much as I dislike and distrust The Sunday Times, the media plays a useful role in prodding public institutions into acting to combat abuse. This week, parliament voted to lift the immunity of Austrian MEP and EU-scourge Hans-Peter Martin, who now faces criminal prosecution for fraud against the taxpayer for his abuse of his allowances. Liberal Democrats continue to push for much tighter controls, but sadly - as at Westminster - it is an uphill struggle.

On Tuesday evening I welcomed European Commission President Barroso to supper with senior LibDem MEPs. He was on good form and impressive when answering colleagues' questions and I think most went away feeling he deserves re-appointment next year as Commission President. Peter Mandelson, however, is unlikely to be in his team after Gordon Brown's heavy hints to journalists at the European Council ('summit' of heads of state and government) last night.

The Council meeting was not of great import. Our national leaders re-committed themselves to fighting climate change but were not prepared to set binding targets to cut energy use in central government buildings or government car fleets. As Mark Twain observed, we can change the world or ourselves, but the latter is more difficult. They were put to shame by 14 major EU retailers including Carrefour, M&S and Tesco, who pledged on Monday to cut energy consumption on their premises by 20% and source 20% of their energy needs from renewables by 2020.

The European Council agreed with President Sarkozy that more had to be done to promote good relations with North Africa and the Middle East, but not to his suggestion to set up a new bureaucracy to deal with it. And they reiterated the mantra of making their economies more competitive without adopting specific new measures.

The Council wound up at lunchtime today, allowing me to make it on time for the scheduled departure of a flight to Heathrow and onward travel to the LD Christchurch Constituency annual supper. Unfortunately the flight was 90 minutes delayed, which means my arrival in Christchurch will be too. You cannot be lucky at both ends of the week!