Enfield Liberal Democrats

Sarah's bulletin: 16 November 2009

World Diabetes Day

Saturday was World Diabetes Day, which I was very involved in as co-chair of the EP diabetes working group in events we held last week in Brussels around the theme of education, prevention and cure, including getting ourselves tested for our blood glucose level with EP president Jerzy Buzek.

I am very conscious anyway of this disease as it is in my family, but there is a true epidemic looming - one in ten Europeans will soon have it. So why is there little attempt at a European strategy, to coordinate and boost research, and establish and promote best practice in treatment? I expressed my impatience in my press release here.

Obama, terrorism and justice: the good news and the bad news

The good news is that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other Guantanamo detainees will be sent to New York to face a civilian trial. Mohammed is an alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks. This is a brave (though absolutely necessary) boost for those of us who campaign for human rights and the rule of law, as it means that these 5 terror suspects will receive an above-board, transparent civilian trial with all the protections that involves, instead of a secretive and unfair military tribunal.

Experience - such as in the UK - shows that terrorist suspects can indeed be safely tried, convicted and imprisoned in the regular courts system. Examples include Ramzi Yousef in the US, one of the 1993 World Trade Centre bombers and the three British suspects that were convicted back in September for conspiring to blow up transatlantic planes with liquid bombs. Of course there will be problems of admissibility of evidence because it will be tainted by torture, which shows just how the disastrous 'war on terror' has actually undermined law enforcement.

The bad news is that a US Court of Appeal has ruled that the Canadian kidnap and torture victim Maher Arar cannot have access to US courts to seek redress for having been mistakenly identified as a terrorist and transferred to Syria where he was tortured for almost a year. The court said they could not intervene because there is no civil remedy for damages for harm done by 'extraordinary rendition', but also because it would harm foreign relations, namely reveal the details of how he was shipped to Syria to be tortured!

I am also now helping organise a 'friend of the court (amicus curiae) brief for British parliamentarians to intervene in a Supreme Court case which also concerns President Obama's laudable efforts to close Guantánamo Bay. The current state of the law in the US is that if a federal court finds, after a complete habeas corpus hearing, that the prisoner is innocent, and should not have been detained in the first place, the court is barred from ordering the remedy that has been applied in habeas cases for at least 300 years - namely release. In other words, there is a right, but no meaningful remedy, which is hopeless. If the courts could order the release of innocent prisoners, it would speed up the process of closing this Bush era prison.

When I think what Obama inherited from Dubya, I am decidedly not one of those who has lost faith with Barack! OK, I feel some impatience and the odd disappointment, but when you look at what he has on his plate…

Balkan citizens' visa-free travel

Last week I spoke in the parliament and explained that the campaign to give all people from the Western Balkans visa-free access to the EU will benefit security in the widest sense of the word. Of course the barriers to entry for citizens of the Balkans are nothing compared to the Berlin wall, but the 20th anniversary of its fall this week should remind us how barriers to communication and travel stifle understanding and tolerance. This is for the Schengen zone only, we still have to battle to get the same freedom for UK - bound travel since the UK does its own thing.

An International Crisis Group report released this week urged the international community - the EU and the US in particular - to reinforce and transform its engagement with Bosnia and Herzegovina. It highlights how only minimal reforms would be necessary to prepare the state for European integration and to bring it into line with the European Convention on Human Rights, but that the US and the EU need to be more assertive in their dealings with the region.

You can read my speech here.

Eurostar's 15th birthday

Saturday marked 15 years to the day since the first Eurostar train services, which started on 14 November 1994. I am of course, due to my work in Brussels, a very frequent user of the Eurostar - I have never in 10 years flown to Brussels - and am very aware of how much it has made Brussels, Lille, Paris and many other European destinations so much easier to get to for Londoners. Especially since the completion of the high speed track into St Pancras International, Brussels is only 1 hour and 55 minutes away, and tickets can be as cheap as £59 return!

Hedge funds

Lord Mandelson was in Brussels this week to lobby about the proposed EU rules on hedge funds and private equity firms. A report commissioned by LibDem MEP Sharon Bowles' Economic and Monetary Affairs committee itself gave the directive a scathing appraisal: "we consider this directive in its current form poorly constructed, ill-focused and premature". The report, also said the draft was "vague and inadequate".

This led the Daily Telegraph to give us a very rare indeed (though back-handed) compliment: "that this heroic intervention comes from none other than a committee of the European Parliament is doubly welcome", an admission that the high level of legislative specialisation in the Parliament's committee system produces very good quality legislative scrutiny, constantly improving the quality of EU law.

Mega trucks

The European Commission is currently considering a revision of trucking regulations which would allow longer and heavier vehicles of up to 25 metres in length and 60 tonnes in weight. This week I spoke at a meeting on the topic and argued strongly against the new 60 tonne lorries, as not only could this pose an added safety risk on Europe's roads, but it also runs completely counter to our stated efforts of moving away from 'dirty' forms of transport and towards cleaner, greener modes such as freight trains. Just the other day the Commission announced a large grant to go towards building a new rail freight line in the East of England - this is what we need to see more of, not bigger trucks!

Neelie Kroes

The Dutch Liberal competition commissioner, who has now earned a name for herself as "Steely Neelie", has entered quite a showdown with the Europe's powerful financial sector. The argument is about the question of enforcing break-ups of the big banks due to competition concerns. She is forcing Lloyds TSB to dispose of 600 branches and RBS will have to divest over 300 branches, along with insurance and card payment businesses. She is really getting a reputation for being very ruthless and standing up to big business in the interests of customers... and good for her!

International anti-fascism day

Last Monday was the United Nations international anti-fascism day, and it is not a coincidence that it also falls on anniversary of the 9 November 1938 'Kristallnacht' pogroms. International anti-fascism day is particularly important for Britain as this year saw the election of two MEPs from the fascist and racist British National Party. The lesson to learn is that political problems should not just be swept under the carpet. They, and the people who try to exploit resentments over for example immigration to foment hatred, should have the clear light of discussion and debate shone on them. If we stand up tall and take fascism on for what it's worth, it will be reduced to the vile and cowardly philosophy that it is.

Court of Auditors' report on the EU budget

The European Court of Auditors this week released their annual report on the EU budget - and were very critical of both the Commission's and the member states' implementation of it. It found that serious issues remain in the areas of spending whose management is devolved to the member state and regional level. The auditors found that about 11% of payments made for regional funding projects should not have been made. Mind you, it also found that mistakes arise due to the very complex nature of the rules and regulations, and of course the rules ar sometimes complex because the money has to be controlled…. We as Liberal Democrats although supportive of the European project as a whole, believe that waste of resources is utterly unacceptable and call on the incoming Commission to make remedying the problems in EU spending an absolute priority, including by getting tough on national finance ministers/Chancellors.

Liberal Democrat London region conference

Saturday was also the Liberal Democrat London Region autumn conference. For those who could not make it, try and come next time as it is a great opportunity to see what all this politics is about on the ground. There is training, fringe events and speeches from the main MPs, Assembly members, council leaders and myself as the MEP (on the topic of "Bringing Europe closer to London"). For those of us that are regulars, it is a great opportunity to catch up with friends and hear about what everyone else in the region is up to.

Freedom Pass campaign

One thing we are all worked up about is the government's smash and grab raid on London. Caroline Pidgeon this week received a reply from the transport minister Sadiq Khan defending the Government's plans to cut almost £29 million in funding from London Freedom Pass click here. The campaign against these harmful cuts in funding continues. To see the consultation on the changes to central government funding click here and to join the Lib Dem London wide campaign you can sign this petition.

Best regards,

Sarah Ludford