Barely in time for the 4 June 2009 vote, the UK Conservative Party has launched its campaign for the European elections ─ with David Cameron calling for a national election.
Incidentally, the Tories have also published a European Election Manifesto.
The Conservatives call for a modern European Union with pledges such as keeping Britain outside the euro, repatriating social and employment legislation and forming an anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament.
***
Neo-cons’ stooge
On Conservative Home, Sally McNamara of the US Heritage Foundation, writes a blog post: Cameron should take on the European issue now.
McNamara praises the Conservatives for promising a referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon (ratified by the United Kingdom) and for the promise to leave the EPP-ED group in the European Parliament.
Her further wish-list contains the renegotiation of Britain’s relationship with the European Union, as a major issue of British political life, and crucial to the defense of Britain’s long-term interests.
Writing for a British public, McNamara is more tactful than when blogging on The Foundry at Heritage. She does not spell out that the crux of the defence of Britain’s long term interests lies in securing US leadership in the world.
In other words, the United Kingdom with a Conservative government is the neo-cons’ fifth column within the European Union.
Ralf Grahn
Showing posts with label manifesto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manifesto. Show all posts
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
Monday, 11 May 2009
European elections: UKIP for Mexico
Read UKIP’s campaign policies for the Euro elections, and find out that Mexico is the way to go for Britain, according to Nigel Farage and his not so angry old men.
The main plank of the UK Independence Party’s manifesto for the European elections 2009 is:
“The UK Independence Party believes that the UK should withdraw from the European Union and that our membership should be replaced with a genuine free trade agreement similar to those enjoyed by other non-EU nations such as Switzerland, Norway and Mexico.”
***
If UKIP manages to get the United Kingdom out of the European Union, the party is less particular about the future model of cooperation. Reassuringly, friendly relations can be seen as opting for peace rather than war, but free trade can come in different shapes.
Norway is part of the European Economic Area (EEA), which gives it access to the internal market, but without real powers to form the rules.
Switzerland is formally bound only by bilateral treaties with the European Union, but in practice a virtual member of the EEA.
Non-European Mexico has agreed on a free trade area (FTA) with the European Union. Recently the relations have been upgraded to a strategic partnership.
***
The common feature of the three examples is that the relationships have evolved, becoming ever closer.
Interestingly, UKIP proposes that the United Kingdom should renounce its seat at the tables, where European decisions are made.
I hope that UK voters conduct a full debate on the ways and means, well ahead of the European elections.
Ralf Grahn
The main plank of the UK Independence Party’s manifesto for the European elections 2009 is:
“The UK Independence Party believes that the UK should withdraw from the European Union and that our membership should be replaced with a genuine free trade agreement similar to those enjoyed by other non-EU nations such as Switzerland, Norway and Mexico.”
***
If UKIP manages to get the United Kingdom out of the European Union, the party is less particular about the future model of cooperation. Reassuringly, friendly relations can be seen as opting for peace rather than war, but free trade can come in different shapes.
Norway is part of the European Economic Area (EEA), which gives it access to the internal market, but without real powers to form the rules.
Switzerland is formally bound only by bilateral treaties with the European Union, but in practice a virtual member of the EEA.
Non-European Mexico has agreed on a free trade area (FTA) with the European Union. Recently the relations have been upgraded to a strategic partnership.
***
The common feature of the three examples is that the relationships have evolved, becoming ever closer.
Interestingly, UKIP proposes that the United Kingdom should renounce its seat at the tables, where European decisions are made.
I hope that UK voters conduct a full debate on the ways and means, well ahead of the European elections.
Ralf Grahn
Monday, 4 May 2009
European elections: Federal Europe Manifesto
For the sake of comparison, an election manifesto can be fairly short and still manage to set a future course for the European Union:
Stronger Together in a Federal Europe: UEF Manifesto for the European Parliament 2009-14
Europe must be more united if it is to face up to its current economic and constitutional crises. This is the message of European federalists on the eve of the European Parliamentary elections.
1. The Treaty of Lisbon must be ratified and implemented efficiently as soon as possible. Once the new treaty is in force the Union will have acquired a unique capacity to act on the world stage. It will be a much more powerful, open and democratic Union. If the Lisbon treaty does not enter into force, the European Parliament should push immediately for a new constitutional Convention.
2. The EU must move quickly to establish strict, transparent supervision of the banking, securities and insurance sectors, leading to the creation of an EU financial services authority. The current weak coordination of national policies should be replaced by a common macro-economic policy. EU bonds should be launched to bolster the economic recovery plan.
3. The weak economy is no excuse to return to national protectionism. The EU should dedicate itself to the completion of the single market in finance, services, energy and intellectual property. Structural reforms of the labour market which build Europe's social dimension are badly needed to create the right conditions for renewed long-term investment. The WTO negotiations must be re-started.
4. The EU needs a radical review of its financial system. Relevant spending should be shifted from the national to the European level to get real added value out of the Union. More spent jointly at the European level means less wasted by disjointed national efforts. The EU budget should have adequate resources, financed by fiscal federalism, to fund common policies which enhance competitiveness and create green jobs across Europe. EU spending should be made fully accountable.
5. The eurozone states must assert their autonomy from those who cannot or choose not to join the single currency. The eurogroup must act as one in world monetary matters and take the lead over the reform of the international monetary system. The EU should advocate the establishment of a global network of prudential supervision across currency zones, with the longer term intention to create a world currency unit.
6. The EU must be the driving force at the UN sponsored talks on climate change. The goal is to leave Copenhagen in December 2009 with an internationally agreed package based on the EU model of cutting carbon emissions, conserving energy and increasing the use of renewables.
7. The single market must be extended to energy supply so that consumers benefit from a more competitive and better interconnected industry. The EU should invest directly in diversified sources of energy. It must help energy companies to build the European super-grid as well as the infrastructure necessary to import supplies from Asia and Africa.
8. Whatever the fate of Lisbon, the EU needs to strengthen its contribution to world peace and disarmament. This means a dedicated effort to reform the United Nations as well as building up Europe’s own civilian and military capability to be a credible peace-maker wherever it is needed.
9. Those EU states with the political will and the military means to do so must form a core group in security and defence. This will help NATO modernise and put transatlantic relations on a sound footing. If the Irish again reject Lisbon, the next urgent step must be to agree a separate EU treaty in security and defence between some but not all EU members.
10. The Union should confirm its existing commitments to enlargement, projecting its values, stability and relative prosperity throughout its own neighbourhood. As a top priority reconciliation must be achieved between the two communities in Cyprus, united in a new federal republic.
11. The task of building Europe’s common area of freedom, security and justice has only just begun. The EU urgently needs to sort out its visa policy, and fashion common policies for asylum and for legal and illegal immigration. European states must act together to combat international crime and to ensure that there is decent justice and civil liberty for all. More integration in civil law will help families and consumers.
12. The European Parliament must exercise its new democratic powers and responsibilities with energy and skill, in particular by shaping the programme of the new Commission. MEPs should reform their own electoral procedure so that, in 2014, a number of deputies are elected from a single, transnational constituency. This reform is key to making European political parties fit for purpose, connecting them directly with the citizen and giving citizens a strong voice in how Europe is run.
**
The Union of European Federalists is a supranational political movement committed to uniting Europe along federal lines. It addresses this manifesto to the parties and candidates campaigning for election to the European Parliament in June 2009. www.federalists.eu
***
Security, prosperity and democratic governance. Why settle for less?
Ralf Grahn
Stronger Together in a Federal Europe: UEF Manifesto for the European Parliament 2009-14
Europe must be more united if it is to face up to its current economic and constitutional crises. This is the message of European federalists on the eve of the European Parliamentary elections.
1. The Treaty of Lisbon must be ratified and implemented efficiently as soon as possible. Once the new treaty is in force the Union will have acquired a unique capacity to act on the world stage. It will be a much more powerful, open and democratic Union. If the Lisbon treaty does not enter into force, the European Parliament should push immediately for a new constitutional Convention.
2. The EU must move quickly to establish strict, transparent supervision of the banking, securities and insurance sectors, leading to the creation of an EU financial services authority. The current weak coordination of national policies should be replaced by a common macro-economic policy. EU bonds should be launched to bolster the economic recovery plan.
3. The weak economy is no excuse to return to national protectionism. The EU should dedicate itself to the completion of the single market in finance, services, energy and intellectual property. Structural reforms of the labour market which build Europe's social dimension are badly needed to create the right conditions for renewed long-term investment. The WTO negotiations must be re-started.
4. The EU needs a radical review of its financial system. Relevant spending should be shifted from the national to the European level to get real added value out of the Union. More spent jointly at the European level means less wasted by disjointed national efforts. The EU budget should have adequate resources, financed by fiscal federalism, to fund common policies which enhance competitiveness and create green jobs across Europe. EU spending should be made fully accountable.
5. The eurozone states must assert their autonomy from those who cannot or choose not to join the single currency. The eurogroup must act as one in world monetary matters and take the lead over the reform of the international monetary system. The EU should advocate the establishment of a global network of prudential supervision across currency zones, with the longer term intention to create a world currency unit.
6. The EU must be the driving force at the UN sponsored talks on climate change. The goal is to leave Copenhagen in December 2009 with an internationally agreed package based on the EU model of cutting carbon emissions, conserving energy and increasing the use of renewables.
7. The single market must be extended to energy supply so that consumers benefit from a more competitive and better interconnected industry. The EU should invest directly in diversified sources of energy. It must help energy companies to build the European super-grid as well as the infrastructure necessary to import supplies from Asia and Africa.
8. Whatever the fate of Lisbon, the EU needs to strengthen its contribution to world peace and disarmament. This means a dedicated effort to reform the United Nations as well as building up Europe’s own civilian and military capability to be a credible peace-maker wherever it is needed.
9. Those EU states with the political will and the military means to do so must form a core group in security and defence. This will help NATO modernise and put transatlantic relations on a sound footing. If the Irish again reject Lisbon, the next urgent step must be to agree a separate EU treaty in security and defence between some but not all EU members.
10. The Union should confirm its existing commitments to enlargement, projecting its values, stability and relative prosperity throughout its own neighbourhood. As a top priority reconciliation must be achieved between the two communities in Cyprus, united in a new federal republic.
11. The task of building Europe’s common area of freedom, security and justice has only just begun. The EU urgently needs to sort out its visa policy, and fashion common policies for asylum and for legal and illegal immigration. European states must act together to combat international crime and to ensure that there is decent justice and civil liberty for all. More integration in civil law will help families and consumers.
12. The European Parliament must exercise its new democratic powers and responsibilities with energy and skill, in particular by shaping the programme of the new Commission. MEPs should reform their own electoral procedure so that, in 2014, a number of deputies are elected from a single, transnational constituency. This reform is key to making European political parties fit for purpose, connecting them directly with the citizen and giving citizens a strong voice in how Europe is run.
**
The Union of European Federalists is a supranational political movement committed to uniting Europe along federal lines. It addresses this manifesto to the parties and candidates campaigning for election to the European Parliament in June 2009. www.federalists.eu
***
Security, prosperity and democratic governance. Why settle for less?
Ralf Grahn
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
European elections: Federalist manifesto
The European elections are getting closer, but without top candidates or a real debate on the challenges for Europe in a changing world.
Perhaps time to look at what the Union of European Federalists (UEF) has to say in its manifesto Stronger together in a federal Europe, the clearest constructive election programme I have seen to date.
Ralf Grahn
Perhaps time to look at what the Union of European Federalists (UEF) has to say in its manifesto Stronger together in a federal Europe, the clearest constructive election programme I have seen to date.
Ralf Grahn
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