Labour MEP for Yorkshire & Humber
The current spat over choosing the next president of the European Commission is not the first time that David Cameron has picked the wrong battle to fight on Europe — and in the process damaged Britain’s influence and his own. Worse still, these serial miscalculations are a frightening foreshadowing of how things are likely to go if […]
Some people have expressed surprise about Labour’s reluctance to endorse Juncker as the new president of the European Commission, not least given my criticisms of how Cameron has handled the issue. But Labour MEPs are hardly likely to rush to support the candidate of the centre-right. The candidate of Merkel, Rajoy and other conservative Prime […]
As excitement builds for the 2014 World Cup that’s starting in a few days, it’s a real shame that the preparations have been marred by increasing rumours that something went seriously amiss in the process for awarding the 2022 tournament to Qatar. If it turns out the vote, or preparations for it, were fraudulent, of […]
The European Parliamentary Labour Party has a sleek new website where you can keep up-to-date with our work in the European Parliament.
Is Cameron yet again picking the wrong battle to fight in Europe? The Commission President is important, but at the end of the day the Commission only proposes new EU rules — it doesn’t decide on them, or shape the general direction of the union. Given that there appears to be a qualified majority among […]
The BBC is supposed to be unbiased. But its patently biased coverage of the European and local elections of May this year was more like Fox News. It gave a huge and undeserved boost to Nigel Farage, providing a prominent figurehead and rallying-point for his supporters, extending his apparent credibility way beyond what it deserved, and constantly providing […]
Thanks to all those who sent such kind messages following my election to the European Parliament. I’m sorry not to be able to reply individually to so many hundreds of messages, emails, tweets, texts, posts, and more. Although I’m delighted to have won my seat back from the BNP, it’s disappointing that we so narrowly […]
Those who claim that Labour is shying away from discussing Europe in the European elections are wrong. For a start, we’ve said very clearly that we will have no truck with the idea of leaving the EU, which would risk economic disaster. Ed Miliband was very clear on ITV News: My priority is not exiting the European Union and […]
The Guardian has taken a stab at the notoriously difficult task of predicting the outcome of European elections on Thursday, seat by seat, using a combination of recent national polls and including an attempt to model regional differences. In my region of Yorkshire & Humber, the poll implies a three-way tie between Labour (2 seats), […]
In the run-up to a national election, working in politics can seem even more exhausting than usual. But occasionally you receive an email — this from a Hertfordshire resident I’ve never met — which reminds you that it can also be immensely rewarding: Dear Richard, My voting card for the May 22 elections has been making […]
Mark Field, Conservative MP, sticks his head above the parapet to talk sense: ‘Britain must lead in Europe to remain a financial powerhouse‘: The temporary peace David Cameron brokered within the Conservative Party may yet unravel if UKIP make the gains they are expected to on 22 May. Many colleagues will misinterpret a robust electoral showing […]
Quite apart from their policy embarrassments and the disingenuous attempts of their leader to paint himself as some kind of anti-establishment everyman, UKIP faces embarrassment after embarassment from its members, candidates and leadership. Here’s just a summary from the recent few days, with links to further reading: In a ‘cash for seats’ scandal, UKIP MEPs and candidates in […]
Labour International, the international section of the British Labour party, has relaunched its website and is leading with an editorial I wrote about what’s at stake in the upcoming European elections: It is important for the future of Britain that the largest party in this election should be a pro-European one: Labour. The alternative — a UKIP victory — would be a huge boost […]
If recent polling is to be believed, Labour stand to be the only party that’s in a credible position to represent British interests in the European Parliament. Besides being the party with the most sensible policies (stay inside the EU, but improve, change and reform it), over the next five years Labour is likely to be the only one […]
Turnout in European elections has become an issue, with commentators focusing on its lower level than national elections and its downward trend over the years. Of course, a higher turnout is always better. But actually, it’s normal that European elections should have a lower turnout. After all, most political issues are decided by our national parliament, not […]