Welcome to the web site of Graham Watson

Graham Watson is the Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament for South West England and Gibraltar. Graham is also the leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament. The ALDE Group is the largest third force ever in the 28 year history of the European Parliament.

Graham Watson was the first British Liberal Democrat ever to be elected to the European Parliament, winning the Somerset & North Devon constituency with a majority of over 22,500. In June 1999 Graham was elected to represent the new enlarged South West of England constituency, which covers Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon and Cornwall and which he has held since then. Gibraltar being added to the constituency after the European Parliamentary elections in June 2004.

GRAHAM'S NEW PUBLICATION - The Lisbon Strategy: Mode d'Emploi

2008: Edited by Christine Gilmore.

With less than two years to go before the 2010 target to make Europe the most competitive and innovative knowledge economy in the world, too little has been done to ensure that the Lisbon Strategy makes the transition from theory into practice.

Lack of focus, not to mention appetite for reform, in many Member States over the past five years, means the European Union now has an enormous mountain to climb if it is to generate the long-term, sustainable growth required to compete with emerging economies.

In this pamphlet Members of the European Parliament from across the political spectrum draw from their experience of a wide range of policy areas to show how the Lisbon Strategy can best be harnessed in the time remaining to enable Europe to prosper in a global market, protect its environment, and promote the welfare of its citizens.

For a free copy of this publication contact Graham's constituency office at Bagehot's Foundry, Beards Yard, Langport, Somerset TA10 9PS or email using the website.

Consumer protection revolution starts today says Graham Watson MEP New! Wed 8th Oct 2008 Local Liberal Democrat MEP for the South West and Gibraltar welcomed the Commission's move today to empower European shoppers with a single, simple EU-wide set of consumer rights. Consumers will be able to seek the best value for money anywhere across the EU without falling victim to differing complicated national rules.

The world economy has become less Adam Smith, more Cincinnati Kid - Watson New! Wed 8th Oct 2008 As the European Parliament prepares the European Council to be held in Brussels on 15 and 16 October, the debate with the French Presidency and the European Commission was dominated by the concerns about the financial crisis which will also be at the core of the summit.

Watson - We still have a lot of green energy potential to unlock New! Mon 6th Oct 2008 Following the visit to the South West today by EU Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, local Liberal Democrat MEP Graham Watson who accompanied the Commissioner's tour - commented that the region has a lot to be proud of, and the event showed that we still have a lot of green energy potential to unlock.

Watson - South West set to impress EU Energy Commissioner Fri 3rd Oct 2008 On Monday 6 October at the invitation of local Liberal Democrat MEP Graham Watson, the European Union's Commissioner for Energy, Andris Peibalgs will be visiting the Westcountry on a fact finding tour examining the regions green energy plans.

Chinese Teaching Takes Off at New Regional Schools Tue 30th Sep 2008 Escaping this weekend's typhoon in Taiwan, six more Chinese teaching assistants have arrived in the region under Graham's 'Broadening Horizons' scheme for Mandarin teaching in local schools. In addition to The Sir Bernard Lovell School (South Gloucestershire), Huish Episcopi School in Somerset, The Sir John Colfox School (Bridport, Dorset), Pilton Community College (Barnstaple, Devon) and Hayle Community in Cornwall, this year sees assistants placed in new schools - Penrice Community College in Cornwall, Kingsmead Community College in Somerset, The Cotswold School in Gloucestershire and The John Bentley School in Wiltshire.

Archive of earlier news stories.