Miliband calls for strong, outward looking Europe

Brexit & Foreign Policy

As it stands, the number of nominations each candidate has received are: Diane Abbott - 9; Ed Balls - 33; Andy Burnham - 26; John McDonnell - 15; David Miliband -71; Ed Miliband - 54.

Shadow foreign secretary David Miliband became the first Labour leadership candidate to take his campaign beyond Britain today, addressing MEPs in Brussels in an attempt to gain their votes in the electoral college. Setting out his vision for the party in the wider world, he explained how Labour could be “a movement for change internationally as well as locally”.

Writing on his website, he said:

“British engagement can see us lead a strong, outward-looking, European Union, supporting an agenda of economic reform and social justice at home and hard-headed internationalism abroad.

“We need to put to one side institutional squabbles and focus on the substantive issues facing the EU.

“With a strong EU we can achieve more on climate change, international crime or on energy security. If we lead Europe we can ensure our foreign policy objectives in the Middle East, on Iran, on Pakistan and on Russia work far more effectively. On economic issues we need a Europe-wide growth strategy not competitive austerity.”

While other candidates have singled out eastern European immigration as one of the reasons for Labour’s defeat – despite evidence to the contrary – David Miliband has gone further than anyone in stressing his pro-European credentials, and is the only leadership candidate calling for the leader of Labour’s MEPs to sit in the shadow cabinet.

He describes this as:

“An important and significant step that sends a signal to our colleagues in the European Parliament that we are serious about their work, and their role within the party… it sends a signal to the wider movement – from the shadow cabinet to our CLPs and activists that Labour is a party that wants to lead in a strong, outward-looking European Union.”

Of Labour’s 13 MEPs, few have publically declared – among them Mary Honeyball (backing David Miliband) and Arlene McCarthy (backing Ed Miliband) – with most following the lead of Labour’s leader in Europe Glenis Wilmott, who tweeted:

“I’m reserving judgement on the leadership. All of them have been invited to meet EPLP & I’m keen to hear views on the role of Labour MEPs”

In other leadership news, with only a day remaining before nominations close, Harriet Harman, Labour’s deputy leader and current acting leader, has nominated Diane Abbott, though she will not vote for her, and will play no part in the contest.

As it stands, the number of nominations each candidate has received are: Diane Abbott – 9; Ed Balls – 33; Andy Burnham – 26; John McDonnell – 15; David Miliband –71; Ed Miliband – 54.

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10 Responses to “Miliband calls for strong, outward looking Europe”

  1. House Of Twits

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  2. Ben Lyons

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  3. Gareth Lewis Shelton

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  4. Liza Harding

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  5. Hitchin England

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