Tag Archives: european parliament

Catherine Bearder MEP: ‘Brexiteers lied to us. We want our country back’

By The Voice | Mon 10th April 2017 - 2:08 pm

Catherine Bearder on cracking form in the European Parliament.

Posted in YouTube | Also tagged brexit and catherine bearder | 3 Comments

What the Lib Dem PPCs got up to in Brussels

By Annabel Mullin | Thu 5th January 2017 - 4:24 pm

Earlier this autumn I was at the London AGM where Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder gave a rousing speech. I was lucky enough to see her at the Newbie Pint at Conference, so I know how passionate she is. When Catherine mentioned that she was running a training event in Brussels aimed at PPCs, I leapt at the opportunity. And what an experience!

It was my first time to Brussels, the European Parliament was gladiatorial in size and the scope of what it does is extraordinary. Even for someone who is an ardent European (currently Brexit will remove it legally but not in birthright) I hadn’t understood the wealth of research, knowledge and resource that it provides. We were given a tour and a tutorial to have a better understanding of exactly how all the cogs work. That should be taught in all schools.

Then we had the chance to meet lobbyists, MEPs and the Brussels Lib Dems. They were kind enough to host us for the evening for a wonderful night, doing what we do best, waxing lyrical about liberalism! We took in a light show in the heart of Brussels to celebrate St Nicholas Day, with some amusing videography from the enthusiastic Daisy Benson.

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged brexit, daisy benson. catherine bearder, eu and tim farron | 1 Comment

Introducing the new hate figure for the tabloid press…

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 9th September 2016 - 9:20 am

The European Parliament has appointed its lead negotiator for the Brexit discussions. And it’s someone well known to Liberal Democrats. He announced it on his Twitter this afternoon:

Honour to be appointed as lead #Brexit negotiator for @Europarl_EN, which will play central role Art 50 deal + any future EU-UK agreements.

— Guy Verhofstadt (@GuyVerhofstadt) September 8, 2016

The BBC has this to say about his appointment:

Posted in News | Also tagged brexit, eu and guy verhofstadt | 16 Comments

A Dutch liberal MEP’s perspective on Brexit

By The Voice | Fri 15th July 2016 - 4:06 pm

Last week, Dutch MEP Sophie in”t Veld made a speech in the Parliament about Brexit. Conference goers will remember her from Bournemouth last year where she gave a keynote speech.

Here are a few key quotes:

Posted in News | Also tagged brexit, eu referendum and sophie in't veld | 7 Comments

Who makes the decisions in the EU?

By Liz Lynne | Mon 18th April 2016 - 1:38 pm

Embed from Getty Images

I have become increasingly frustrated that so many people, including journalists and UK politicians, do not seem to know how the EU actually works and who is responsible for making the decisions on legislation. Over and over again I hear that unelected bureaucrats are in charge and people endlessly talk about the democratic deficit. The reason they do that is that they have been fed this misinformation by the majority of the press and media for years.

I thought it was about time to try and put the record straight. Having been both an MP and then an MEP I can genuinely say that I had more power to shape legislation as an MEP than I did as an MP even though I was a front bench spokesperson.

Most legislation in the EU has to be passed by both the MEPs and the Council which are made up of Ministers from each Member State that is why I get so frustrated when people say that unelected bureaucrats make the decisions. They are usually under the misapprehension that the Commission are the ones who actually legislate.

Posted in Op-eds | 26 Comments

LibLink: Edward McMillan Scott – The embarrassing link between Cameron and Germany’s anti-Islamic movement

By NewsHound | Wed 7th January 2015 - 4:50 pm

View image | gettyimages.com

Writing on Politics.co.uk, former MEP Edward McMillan-Scott highlights a potential cause of tension at today’s meeting in London between the Prime Minister and the German Chancellor:

When Angela Merkel meets David Cameron in London today, one topic could cause embarrassment to both leaders: Cameron’s association with the German anti-Islamist movement, Pegida (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West), which was condemned at the New Year by the German chancellor.

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged angela merkel, david cameron and germany | 7 Comments

ALDE gather in Lisbon: setting sail for a new, more liberal world?

By Mark Valladares | Wed 19th November 2014 - 10:54 am

Once again, liberals from across the European Union and beyond gather this week for the Annual Congress of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE). And whilst Portugal might not be the most obvious place, given the absence of a liberal party in Portuguese politics for some years now, the emergence of the Earth Party as a serious contender – it won two seats (out of twenty-one) in this year’s European Parliament election – makes Portugal an interesting place to be.

Posted in Europe / International | Also tagged ALDE and european union | 1 Comment

Liblink: Catherine Bearder MEP on UKIP’s collapse in the European Parliament

By Joe Otten | Fri 17th October 2014 - 5:24 pm

As we reported yesterday, the loss of a Latvian MEP, Iveta Grigule from UKIP’s “Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy” group mean that is no longer eligible for group status, losing substantial budgets and (unwanted, unused) influence.

Catherine Bearder writes in the New Statesman

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged ukip | 14 Comments

A setback for UKIP in the European Parliament, courtesy of one Latvian MEP…

By Mark Valladares | Thu 16th October 2014 - 3:45 pm

After the European Parliament elections in May, there was a scramble amongst the political groupings in Brussels to gather enough MEPs (twenty-five) from enough countries (seven) to achieve recognition as a political group, with two groups in particular, the European Conservatives and Reformist Group – ECR (which includes the Conservative Party) and the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group – EFDD (which includes UKIP) competing to attract individual MEPS to reach the required number of countries. At one point, it looked as though the EFDD would fall just short, but the recruitment of the Latvian Farmers Union MEP, Iveta Grigule, was enough to satisfy the eligibility clause.

Posted in Europe / International and News | Also tagged iveta grigule and ukip | 14 Comments

Opinion: UKIP are a blessing in disguise for pro-Europeans

By Stuart Bonar | Mon 28th July 2014 - 10:54 am

Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder works harder than nine UKIP MEPs put together. She speaks more sense than their entire delegation, of course, but in terms of turning up to vote, it’s official: the number of European Parliament divisions she’s taken part in since the election is more than the combined total of nine of their lot.

Since the new Parliament started at the beginning of July, MEPs have faced 39 roll-call votes in the plenary. This is where all MEPs come together to speak and vote, usually in Strasbourg. Catherine, our sole representative in the European Parliament, has voted on …

Posted in Europe / International and Op-eds | Also tagged catherine bearder and ukip | 43 Comments

Bearder elected Quaestor in the European Parliament

By The Voice | Thu 3rd July 2014 - 9:01 am

News reaches the Voice that Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder has become a Quaestor in the European Parliament:

Catherine was voted in as a Quaestor, a position responsible for helping to manage the day-to-day running of the Parliament and representing MEPs on its executive body, the Bureau.

She will be the UK’s only representative on the Bureau, which is responsible for overseeing the budget, administration and organisation of the European Parliament.

Catherine has said she will use the position to improve transparency, making more information available to MEPs and to the people they represent.

Posted in News | Also tagged catherine bearded | 2 Comments

Catherine Bearder writes … Back to work in the European Parliament

By Catherine Bearder MEP | Tue 1st July 2014 - 4:58 pm

In May’s European elections, it was liberals across the EU who stood up against the growing tide of nationalists, anti-Europeans and populists. Today, the newly elected MEPs met for the first time in Strasbourg to officially open the 8^th European Parliament.

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the political group with which Liberal Democrats sit in the European Parliament, took a big hit when we lost all of my hardworking Lib Dem colleagues and nine German FDP MEPs. But it is not all doom and gloom. Liberals topped the polls in the Netherlands, and our numbers have been boosted by new liberal parties from Spain, Portugal and the Czech Republic, meaning we are still the fourth largest group with 68 MEPs.

Posted in Op-eds | 16 Comments

Opinion: What’s going on in Brussels? Political groupings in the European Parliament

By Matt McLaren | Mon 23rd June 2014 - 2:12 pm

Following on from my post last week on post-election developments in Brussels, here’s the first of two updates. Today’s will focus on developments concerning the formation of political groups in the Parliament itself whilst tomorrow’s will address issues regarding nominations to the European Commission.

Political parties have until tomorrow, June 24^th to form their European Parliamentary groups. In order to qualify as a group, you not only need at least 25 MEPs but these must be drawn from at least 7 EU countries represented in the Parliament.

Posted in Europe / International and Op-eds | Also tagged ALDE | 24 Comments

What’s going on in the European Parliament this week?

By Matt McLaren | Tue 17th June 2014 - 6:00 pm

Debates between the political parties in the European Parliament to form the all-important political groups, on which depends importance Committee places and speaking rights, continue in Brussels this week.

The Alliance of Liberals & Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group, in which the UK’s Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder sits, is continuing negotiations with liberal-minded parties either newly elected to the European Parliament or no longer content with their existing groups.

It is now unlikely that ALDE will remain the third largest group in Strasbourg-based Parliament as the European Conservatives …

Posted in News | Also tagged ALDE | 14 Comments

Edward McMillan-Scott writes … an open letter to the Leader of the Conservatives in Europe

By Edward McMillan-Scott | Tue 20th May 2014 - 4:56 pm

Mr Syed Kamall MEP (London, Conservative)

Leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament

Dear Syed,

As the former leader of the Conservative MEPs, I have followed with interest the current speculation over your potential future bedfellows in Europe. It appears likely that the number of Conservative MEPs will fall from 26 to around 15, your Czech allies will all but vanish, and the Polish Law and Justice Party will be the dominant force in the ECR group. To survive, there are informed reports that Tory MEPs with the backing of David Cameron are trawling the wilder shores of European politics for new allies.

Posted in News | Also tagged conservative MEPs | 12 Comments

LibLink: Edward Macmillan-Scott on ‘The European Parliament, Human Rights champion’

By The Voice | Tue 13th May 2014 - 2:32 pm

Edward McMillan-Scott is the Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber , but also the European Parliament’s Vice President for Human Rights. He has written an article for the latest edition of the European Parliament’s monthly magazine, EP Today, to mark Europe Day. He writes:

Despite the profound changes the world has undergone since the fall of the Berlin wall, torture, unlawful imprisonment and genocide still haunt us.

That is why the end of the European Parliament’s mandate is an opportunity to review the vital work done by the EU ensure the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy worldwide.

He then lists many projects and initiatives by the EU in the field of human rights and concludes:

Posted in News | Also tagged edward mcmillan-scott, eu and human rights | 1 Comment

LibLink: Tim Farron: European Parliament makes it easier for you to know what’s in the medicines you are taking

By NewsHound | Sat 26th April 2014 - 12:55 pm

Roughly a third of people take part in the European elections. That turnout reflects that people don’t necessarily feel engaged with the European Parliament. Yet this body, whether it be on e-cigarettes, abolishing (with Liberal Democrat support) mobile phone roaming charges or even the medicines your doctor prescribes, makes laws that affect our daily lives. Tim Farron has been highlighting its important work in this medical field in an article over at the Huffington Post.

First of all, he outlines the problem:

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged drugs, eu, huffington post and tim farron | 3 Comments

Opinion: It’s official – Lib Dems are “most successful and influential” in Europe

By Giles Goodall | Wed 2nd April 2014 - 4:53 pm

Ahead of the second EU debate between Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage this evening, a timely new report has found that Liberal Democrats are the most influential British party in the European Parliament.

The analysis of MEPs’ voting records from VoteWatch Europe over the past five years by think tank Policy Network, finds that Liberal Democrats are the “most successful coalition partner” in the European Parliament and “have played a central role in policy-making in both Westminster and Brussels.”

As …

Posted in News and Op-eds | Also tagged ALDE, european union and mep | 6 Comments

LDVideo: Chris Davies MEP “UKIP are not there when it matters”

By The Voice | Wed 12th March 2014 - 11:25 am

Chris Davies has been speaking in the European Parliament about the voting record of his UKIP colleagues and how they just don’t turn up for important votes. He also mentioned how one turned up to a vote on e-cigarettes not long after UKIP received a donation from an e-cigarette manufacturer. That, he said, was the price of a UKIP vote.

He called their voting record dire and said that they were well known for taking their money but did precious little to defend the interests they hold dear.

And he did it all in his own inimitable style.

Enjoy.

Posted in Europe / International | Also tagged chris davies mep, european elections 2014, ldvideo and ukip | 7 Comments

My work placement with Chris Davies MEP

By Louise Furness | Thu 27th February 2014 - 1:18 pm

Louise Furness recently spent a week on a work placement with North West MEP Chris Davies. Here she tells us about her insight into life in Brussels.

Monday: Walking into the European Parliament for the first time is quite something. It is an impressive complex and a hive of activity – and this is supposedly a quieter period as fewer proposals are put to Parliament and MEPs spend more time in their constituencies in the run-up to the elections. The week began with a team meeting, during which Chris discussed his diary with Carly and Joana from his office. This …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged chris davies | Leave a comment

Rebecca Taylor MEP writes…Can you help me campaign against e-cigs being regulated as medicines?

By Rebecca Taylor | Sat 30th November 2013 - 9:02 am

The EU is currently deciding how best to regulate e-cigarettes. Opinion is divided, with many public health organisations and most national governments – including the UK – pushing for the regulation of e-cigarettes as medicinal products, while consumers, manufacturers, along with some doctors and public health experts asking for a less stringent approach.

The European Parliament also voted against medicines regulation, adopting instead a Liberal amendment drafted by Frédérique Ries, myself and Chris Davies which aims to guarantee essential safeguards without resorting to medicines licensing.

E-cigarettes are a new and increasingly popular product used almost entirely by existing or former smokers (see …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged e-cigarettes and eu | 55 Comments

Lib Dem victory on e-cigs

By Mary Reid | Tue 8th October 2013 - 5:13 pm

In the European Parliament earlier today, MEPs backed a Liberal Democrat amendment which will ensure that electronic cigarettes are available for sale on the same basis as tobacco.

The original proposal from the Commission was that e-cigs should be treated as medicines, which would have restricted sales. But the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (the Group to which our Liberal Democrat team belongs) argued that they had a major role to play in reducing tobacco-related deaths. The amendment did require e-cigs to meet safety standards and for …

Posted in News | Also tagged e-cigarettes and featured | 17 Comments

EU funding helps UK punch above its weight on science

By The Voice | Wed 26th June 2013 - 10:51 am

Yesterday, MEPs and national ministers in Brussels agreed on the new EU research and innovation programme “Horizon 2020”.

Horizon 2020 is structured around three ‘pillars’;

‘Excellence in the science base’ – aims to strengthen the EU’s world-class excellence in science, particularly through a significant strengthening of the European Research Council, which mainly focuses on frontier research

‘Creating industrial leadership and competitive frameworks’ – aims to support business research and innovation. Actions will cover: increasing investment in enabling industrial technologies and support for innovation in SMEs with high growth potential

‘Tackling societal challenges’ – aims to respond directly to challenges identified in Europe

…

Posted in Europe / International and News | Also tagged fiona hall and science | Leave a comment

Sarah Ludford writes …Creating EU Data Protection rules that safeguard both privacy and jobs

By Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP | Tue 4th June 2013 - 10:29 am

As those who read this LibDem Voice article by Peter Bradwell of Open Rights group will know, I am currently the ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) group ‘shadow rapporteur’ on the draft EU Data Protection Regulation in the European Parliament.

I was not originally expecting to play a major role on this particular piece of legislation. But when my German FDP colleague Alexander Alvaro unfortunately suffered a serious car accident in February, the ALDE group appointed me as his interim replacement. I unwisely promised a response to Peter’s article ‘soon’! – but the last few months of negotiations have been very demanding. The new Regulation, unlike …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged ALDE and Data Protection Regulation | 2 Comments

LibLink: Edward McMillan-Scott – End the European Parliament’s “travelling circus”

By The Voice | Tue 23rd April 2013 - 3:14 pm

Edward McMillan-Scott MEP is the only British Vice-President of the European Parliament and has been leading the campaign for a single seat for the European Parliament. On the British Influence website he writes:

For four days each month, the European Parliament leaves its working base in Brussels, the EU’s political capital, and descends on Strasbourg, its official ‘Seat’ for debates and votes. In addition, half of the Parliament’s staff work in Luxembourg. This arrangement costs €180 million and 19,000 tonnes of C02 every

…

Posted in LibLink and News | Also tagged edward mcmillan-scott and single seat campaign | 7 Comments

This week in Europe: 15-18 April

By NewsHound | Fri 19th April 2013 - 12:11 pm

Lib Dem MEP calls on EU Parliament to scrap planned budget hikes

On Tuesday, senior UK Liberal Democrat MEP George Lyon called on the European Parliament to scrap planned budget increases ahead of the next series of votes on EU spending.

Mr Lyon, a vice chair of the EU Budget Committee, has tabled amendments that, if implemented, would see the one off costs of funding the European election absorbed within a real-terms budget freeze.

Commenting, he said:

At a time when

…

Posted in News | Also tagged chris davies, common fisheries policy, eu budget and george lyon | 1 Comment

Sharon Bowles MEP writes: New EU rules make a more secure, sustainable and transparent banking system

By Sharon Bowles | Wed 17th April 2013 - 12:30 pm

Yesterday the European Parliament passed a historic package of financial legislation following almost two years of negotiations. The most widely publicised aspect of these new rules is the cap on bankers’ bonuses, introduced in an amendment by the European Parliament and supported by Lib Dem MEPs. As well as the moral justifications, there are many good rational reasons for the cap. Significantly, it will realign the bonus to salary ratio to more reasonable proportions, thus reducing the kinds of excessively risky behaviour which contributed towards the financial crisis. It is important for banks to show restraint and take a more …

Posted in Europe / International and News | Also tagged banks and financial regulation | 15 Comments

Chris Davies MEP writes…Britain betrayed

By Chris Davies | Wed 17th April 2013 - 9:03 am

It’s good to know who your friends are, and when it comes to combating climate change they don’t include Britain’s Conservative MEPs and their UKIP collaborators. In a European Parliament vote yesterday they tipped the balance, securing the deferral and probable abandonment of attempts to ensure that the carbon market continues to function, and sending out a signal that the EU is no longer interested in promoting low carbon investments.

Europe’s emissions trading system is the largest in the world and is driving down CO2 emissions from power stations by …

Posted in News | Also tagged carbon emissions, carbon floor price and european commission | 4 Comments

Rebecca Taylor MEP writes…Electronic Cigarettes: No smoke, but lots of fiery debate

By Rebecca Taylor | Mon 15th April 2013 - 8:55 am

You may have heard rumblings that “the EU wants to ban electronic cigarettes”. This is not entirely true; the new EU tobacco directive proposes regulating electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) under medicines legislation and there is fiery debate as to whether this is appropriate.
During the last few years e-cigarettes, devices resembling a cigarette or a pen/torch which enable the inhalation of nicotine containing vapour, have sprung up across Europe including in the UK.
Many e-cigarette users call their habit “vaping” and some prefer to call their devices “personal vaporisers” or PVs. E-cigarettes use a liquid containing nicotine, the addictive component of tobacco, but …

Posted in Europe / International and Op-eds | Also tagged e-cigarettes | 41 Comments

Chris Davies MEP reveals how Strasbourg isn’t always good for your health

By The Voice | Sun 14th April 2013 - 1:15 pm

Chris Davies reveals one of the unexpected problems of the European Parliament shuttling between Brussels and Strasbourg at great expense: bed bugs. Here’s an excerpt from his latest notes:

I went to the medical centre in the European Parliament in Brussels. “I’ve had these itchy spots on my arms and legs for 6 weeks or so,” I told the doctor. “They started off like insect bites but they won’t go away.” She looked at them and asked if any new spots had appeared since the Parliament was

…

Posted in Europe / International and News | Also tagged chris davies and strasbourg | 2 Comments

Op-eds

OFSTED should not ostracise children who choose to practise faith (Khalil Yousuf)
So, what does being an English Liberal mean? (Mark Valladares)
Scottish Liberal Democrats back abortion clinic exclusion zones and decriminalisation (Caron Lindsay)
Don’t be fooled by Labour’s posturing on #peoplesvote (Caron Lindsay)
My first year as Director for People (Rachel Palma-Randle)

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What the Lib Dems offer Manchester

Three Lib Dem by-election gains from the Tories

Paul Tyler writes…Was the Brexit poll compromised?

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Tag Archives: european parliament

Catherine Bearder MEP: ‘Brexiteers lied to us. We want our country back’

What the Lib Dem PPCs got up to in Brussels

Introducing the new hate figure for the tabloid press…

A Dutch liberal MEP’s perspective on Brexit

Who makes the decisions in the EU?

LibLink: Edward McMillan Scott – The embarrassing link between Cameron and Germany’s anti-Islamic movement

ALDE gather in Lisbon: setting sail for a new, more liberal world?

Liblink: Catherine Bearder MEP on UKIP’s collapse in the European Parliament

A setback for UKIP in the European Parliament, courtesy of one Latvian MEP…

Opinion: UKIP are a blessing in disguise for pro-Europeans

Bearder elected Quaestor in the European Parliament

Catherine Bearder writes … Back to work in the European Parliament

Opinion: What’s going on in Brussels? Political groupings in the European Parliament

What’s going on in the European Parliament this week?

Edward McMillan-Scott writes … an open letter to the Leader of the Conservatives in Europe

LibLink: Edward Macmillan-Scott on ‘The European Parliament, Human Rights champion’

LibLink: Tim Farron: European Parliament makes it easier for you to know what’s in the medicines you are taking

Opinion: It’s official – Lib Dems are “most successful and influential” in Europe

LDVideo: Chris Davies MEP “UKIP are not there when it matters”

My work placement with Chris Davies MEP

Rebecca Taylor MEP writes…Can you help me campaign against e-cigs being regulated as medicines?

Lib Dem victory on e-cigs

EU funding helps UK punch above its weight on science

Sarah Ludford writes …Creating EU Data Protection rules that safeguard both privacy and jobs

LibLink: Edward McMillan-Scott – End the European Parliament’s “travelling circus”

This week in Europe: 15-18 April

Sharon Bowles MEP writes: New EU rules make a more secure, sustainable and transparent banking system

Chris Davies MEP writes…Britain betrayed

Rebecca Taylor MEP writes…Electronic Cigarettes: No smoke, but lots of fiery debate

Chris Davies MEP reveals how Strasbourg isn’t always good for your health

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What the Lib Dems offer Manchester

Three Lib Dem by-election gains from the Tories

Paul Tyler writes…Was the Brexit poll compromised?

Thank you Dorothy!

Tag Archives: european parliament

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