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”
John Lees
Are you saying that Labour MEPS would not back or support Vicky and Kay when they make ammendments in the national interest for party political reasons?