A weak and divided voice – what the coalition means for Britain in Europe

Brexit & Foreign Policy

If the Tories follow their instincts, they will try to scupper, or heavily water down, everything in Europe while the Lib Dems would do the opposite: division and weakness beckons.

One of the glaring fault lines in the new coalition is Europe. Few seem to have noticed that just a few years ago Danny Alexander, the new Chief Secretary to the Treasury, was a press officer for the federalist European Movement and Britain in Europe, preparing the ‘yes’ campaign when Britain was looking like it would join the euro.

The coalition has real implications for Britain’s voice in the European Union. Between 1997-2010, Labour was, with a few exceptions – the row over the working time directive being the most obvious – supported by the fact that its MEPs were a large delegation in one of the largest political groups in the European Parliament. They might not always have been the most popular delegation, but were always influential.

Despite what any Tory might say about their new group, evidence uncovered by Left Foot Forward sees regular examples of how marginalised they are. Having fewer MEPs than the Greens makes them only the fifth largest group in the parliament. For example, on the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee, the big Rapporteurships on macro-economic reform, regulating derivatives and capital requirements directives, were divided up between the EPP, the Socialist group, the ALDE and the Greens.

Following the financial crisis, which exposed the lack of effective regulation of banking, derivatives and various other financial instruments, the ECON committee has a massive legislative workload that has huge implications for the British and eurozone economies – yet Labour MEPs are the only British MEPs with any clout.

Instead, the Tory MEPs Kay Swinburne and Vicky Ford get the reports nobody else is bothered about and their amendments rarely get supported. The EPP co-ordinator on ECON, Jean-Paul Gauzes, would rather see a legislative report go to the Greens than the Tories.

The second question is, how they will vote? What will happen when the vote on CRD 3 takes place in two weeks – legislation which focuses on limiting bankers’ bonuses? Or when votes on derivatives or naked short-selling take place?

If the Tories follow their instincts, they will try to scupper, or heavily water down, everything. If the Lib Dems stick to the mantra of their ‘banker basher’ in chief, and now business secretary, Vince Cable, then they would vote the opposite way. We will soon find out which it is to be. Either way, division and weakness beckons.

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11 Responses to “A weak and divided voice – what the coalition means for Britain in Europe”

  1. ben fox

    Re Anon E Mouse. Tell me one single part of this piece that is not 100% factually correct. I’ve give 50 quid if you can. Get your facts straight, or save your ranting drivel for somewhere else.

  2. ben fox

    Re Anon E Mouse. Tell me one single part of this piece that is not 100% factually correct. I’ll give you 50 quid if you can.

  3. Shamik Das

    We've got a couple of gr8 foreign policy articles on @leftfootfwd this weekend: On China: http://is.gd/cEwnW & Europe: http://is.gd/cEwpc

  4. Anon E Mouse

    Ben Fox – Where to start then on a single part “not 100% factually correct?”

    1. “A weak and divided voice” – since the coalition government has effectively got a larger support of the British electorate (in percentage terms) than any other government we have sent to Europe that opening remark is not credible. Weak and divided? Quite the opposite I think.

    2. “The second question is, how they will vote?” – since you don’t know how they will vote how can that be anything but speculation?

    3. “If the Tories follow their instincts, they will try to scupper, or heavily water down, everything.” – Same as above, without knowing how they vote means everything that follows can only be based on a flawed premise.

    If the Tories were acting to form they wouldn’t be working with the Liberals – in fact if Brown hadn’t been gutless and dithered to hang on in Downing Street we would have a weaker minority government now.

    My point is that everything changed May 6. The Tories, unlike the Labour Party, aren’t decreasing Inheritance Tax on the rich. The Liberals aren’t advocating Nuclear disarmament and so on.

    Based on those FACTS your article is highly speculative – it must be since Labour came third in the European Elections behind UKIP last year. Third Ben.

    Anyway I feel my point is made. Do you want to PayPal me now or later? : – )

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