online diary of Richard Corbett MEP

March 2004

Monday 1 March

Meetings in London. As Labour spokesperson on EU constitutional affairs it's important for me to touch base from time to time and discuss our positions with the Labour government.

Visits to the Foreign Office, Downing Street and the Cabinet office are both reassuring and preoccupying. Reassuring in that the government's positions on the draft new constitution for the EU are good ones and some of the wilder stories in the press are inaccurate. Preoccupying in that there is a view that France does not want to reach an agreement on the constitution until the autumn and that there will be no progress on the matter until then.

Much speculation too as to who would be a good candidate for President of the European Commission. The current Portuguese Commissioner Vitorino and the former Finnish Prime Minister Lipponen are clearly among the favourites.

While in London I also have a bite to eat with Lawrie Quinn, the popular MP for Scarborough and Whitby, and also attend a meeting of the Chair and Secretary of the GMB MPs and MEPs respectively, looking at key issues coming up over the next few months in the field of employment law and workplace rights.

Tuesday 2 March

Up early to catch the early plane to Brussels in time to meet the head of the UEFA office in Brussels to discuss ideas about the future of European football.

Lunch with Matt Carter, the new Secretary General of the Labour Party and Douglas Alexander, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who are visiting Brussels.

Working meeting with the Director of Compassion in World Farming to discuss the EU's proposals to limit and regulate the transportation of live animals across Europe: although an improvement on the existing situation, the proposals have major loopholes and we must amend them as they come through Parliament.

Evening meeting of the EPLP with Matt Carter and Douglas Alexander to discuss our strategy for the European elections. Although the macro political dynamics of a mid-term election are not always favourable to governing parties, there is a definite feeling across the country that party members are enthusiastic for the campaign and that we will be far better organised than in the last European elections.

Wednesday 3 March

I give a lecture to visiting Irish academics and civil servants from the Irish European Institute and then attend a lecture given by Gisela Stuart, the backbench Labour MP who represented the House of Commons on the convention that drafted the EU constitution. Since then, she has published a controversial Fabian pamphlet contradicting most of what she had said at the time of the convention. I have been drafting a response which highlights the mistakes, misapprehensions and myths with which her pamphlet is riddled.

Afternoon meeting with John Monks (Secretary General of ETUC), Kevin Curran (Secretary General of GMB), Derek Simpson (Secretary General of AMICUS) and Dave Prentice (Secretary General of UNISON) on current EU legislation affecting employment rights and prospects over the next few months running up to the European elections. I am chuffed when John Monks recommends to all of the unions to publish some of the things that I have written recently for the EPLP “100 Labour Achievements in Europe” and a rebuttal document “Common Euro Myths” (click here for a link).

Finally, dinner in the evening with Councillor the Reverend Paul Flowers. Apart from being a senior cleric, Paul is the former art critic of The Methodist Times, a Bradford City Councillor, Secretary of Bradford South CLP and the chair of the “Lifeline” network helping drug users across northern England. A talented and entertaining man with many facets.

Thursday 4 March

Escape mid-morning from Parliament to return to Yorkshire. After office work, go to Denby Dale Cricket Club where I address the local branch on current European issues. Lovely place for a meeting.

Friday 5 March

I visit the headquarters of Newlands Local Enterprise Project in Bradford to learn more about their work. The project, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, has already created 50 jobs in the Bradford area and distributed £70,000 in grants.

It gives free information and support to new businesses in the area, and provides volunteering opportunities for the local community. It is a pleasure to see European money in action here in Bradford. This is a clear example of how funding from Europe can provide new opportunities and directly improve our quality of life at a local level.

Then a photo shoot in the afternoon and then to Morley & Rothwell CLP to talk about the local and European elections.

Monday 8 March

To Strasbourg. I have tabled the European Parliament's equivalent of an ‘early day motion' on the commemoration of the Normandy landings in which my father participated. A previous one, tabled by the Tories failed to awaken much interest beyond the Brits. Mine is drafted to attract signatures from across Europe as it refers to D-day as the beginning of the liberation of Europe paving the way to the democratic Europe we have now. It is co-signed by the heads of our German and French delegations.

Evening debate on internal rules revision within Parliament, where UKIP leader Nigel Farage makes a fool of himself by claiming that the proposed new EU constitution would make it impossible for a country to leave the EU. In fact, there is a withdrawal clause (unlike the current treaties) - but anyway this is nothing to do with the subject of the debate. A reminder that elections are only 93 days away!

Join Labour Movement for Europe colleagues for dinner just as they finish their food.

Tuesday 9 March

Meet with Brok (Christian Democrats), Duff (Liberals) and Voggenhuber (Greens) to negotiate an agreed strategy with us (Socialists) regarding Parliament's strategy on the currently deadlocked talks on the proposed new constitution. Later meet Giscard d'Estaing and Vitorino on same subject. Vitorino is being talked about more and more as the next President of the Commission. It's very easy to see why – he has a quick grasp of issues and, unlike the current incumbent, is an excellent communicator.

My report on the Rules is adopted by Parliament. I point out that it is largely a “tidying up exercise” but that it also plugs a few gaps and will make it (slightly) more difficult to create a political group in the next Parliament – it will need at least 20 members from 5 countries.

As I leave Parliament at midnight, heavy snow is falling over Strasbourg.

Wednesday 10 March

Up for 7:30am flight to London for the funeral of an aunt. Chat to BBC's John Pienaar, who is on same flight.

Funeral is both sad and a lively family reunion. Some distant parts of the family I only ever meet at weddings and funerals!

Unfortunately, miss last flight back to Strasbourg because one of British Rail's successors gives me totally incorrect connecting times for the train to Gatwick. I have to stay overnight there and will miss early meetings in Strasbourg tomorrow – one of which I'm down to chair. Frustration!

Thursday 11 March

Arrive back in Strasbourg just in time for the midday votes – and to hear the terrible news about the Madrid bombings. How any human being can deliberately murder nearly 200 innocent people is beyond me. This wasn't even a political or military target, but commuters coming into Madrid from its working-class suburbs. How can any cause justify this?

Friday 12 March

Off to Manchester for Labour's European Conference.

Arrive in time for the opening plenary session of the European Conference. Listen to excellent speeches by Gary Titley, leader of the EPLP, Jacki Davis, the editor of E!sharp magazine, and Danish ex-Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

Then off to the Britain in Europe reception. Neil Kinnock joined Lucy Powell, Campaign Director; Arlene McCarthy MEP and Gary Titley MEP. Neil urged delegates and supporters alike to work hard in the forthcoming European elections to defeat anti-Europeanism. He also called on the Labour Movement to celebrate enlargement of the EU which is cementing peace and prosperity across almost all of the continent of Europe.

Later met up with a few delegates from Bradford for a drink and a chat - quite lively at times.

Saturday 13 March

Early rise for breakfast with Derek Simpson, General Secretary of Amicus, and some of his staff. Sadly, the croissants arrived just as we had to leave to be back in the conference hall in time for Tony Blair's speech. The speech is part of his attempt to bring the political focus in this country back to Labour's substantial achievements: lowest unemployment for a generation, lowest inflation for 30 years, lowest interest rates for 30 years, longest period of economic growth etc. These are no mean achievements, but repeated success is of no interest whatsoever to the media.

Have photo taken with Tony Blair for the presentation of the award for the “most imaginative use of European funding”. After a national competition, this has been given to a project that I nominated: the Lifeline project in Dewsbury, which is using European money to help people with drug misuse problems. It is also restoring an old building in the heart of Dewsbury as a project headquarters – and doing this by working with the local community.

Then to a meeting with Mike Gapes MP and Glenys Kinnock MEP on what the Westminster Foundation can do to help strengthen democracy and political parties in countries making the transition to democracy.

Then mill around a bit (as one always does at such conferences) having a chat or a cup of tea with friends and colleagues: Anna Chester from Rotherham, Ian Greenwood and David Green from Bradford, Theresa Griffin from Liverpool, Judith Black, Lisa Mulherin, Graham Mann and Ged Robinson from Leeds.

In the afternoon my turn to chair a conference workshop on the European economy: growth, jobs and the regions. My colleague Terry Wynn MEP is the speaker. We attract more participants than most of the other “big conversation” workshops at conference and have a good discussion on how to make the EU the world's most competitive knowledge-based social market economy by the year 2010. One myth we debunk is that Britain is doing far better than everyone else in Europe: we are doing far better than we ever have for 30 years, but there are a range of performances in Europe, some better (Holland, Ireland, Finland etc) and some worse (France, Germany, Italy etc).

Then back to the hotel for a quick shower before going to the evening reception at the Town Hall of Manchester.

Sunday 14 March

Participate in a good workshop with Denis McShane, the Minister for Europe, only for him to find out just after it finished about the tragic news of his daughter plunging to her death in a skydiving accident in Australia. Such awful tragedies put much into perspective. The news brings what was otherwise an excellent weekend to a horrible end.

Monday 15 March

Back to Brussels for a meeting with representatives of all national Parliaments of the 25 countries of the enlarged EU. Followed, in the evening, by the Socialist members of the meeting having dinner together.

Much excitement about the result of the Spanish elections with its surprise victory for the Socialists. Some fools have been saying that this is a victory for terrorism or for Al Quaida claiming that the Spanish were intimidated into voting against the governing party. This is nonsense, for two reasons.

First, because the Socialists were already gaining ground on the governing party, the Popular party, even before the bombs went off last Thursday. We were already heading for a hung Parliament.

Second, because what irritated the Spanish people, and gave an extra couple of percent to the Socialists, was the attempt by the government to claim that the bombings were the work of ETA – even after evidence emerged to the contrary. The fact that ministers had telephoned newspapers and TV channels – and even Spanish embassies in other EU countries – instructing them to continue claiming that it was ETA had leaked out the day before the poll. By polling day, enough people had heard of this for a significant percentage to be outraged at the government seemingly withholding information on the bombings for political advantage.

In other words, we won the election not because of terrorist intimidation, but because of the government's loss of credibility adding to the support we were already gaining from a successful campaign.

Tuesday 16 March

Constitutional committee meeting. We vote to modify the rules on languages ahead of enlargement. The legal requirement to interpret into all languages will be physically impossible to meet as of 1 May when EU expansion means we will have twenty languages. We have to make the rules more flexible so that Parliament can still deliberate if, occasionally, there are hiccups in the system. However, the matter is controversial. Nonetheless, necessity prevails and we agree on a set of temporary derogations from the language provisions of the rules of procedure. The Esperanto lobby fails to get a reference to Esperanto in our decision, although I voted for it.

I rush from the committee to do a debate on Tyne Tees television with Martin Callanan (Tory MEP) and Diana Wallis (Lib Dem MEP). Callanan tries to play the card of EU enlargement opening the flood gates to mass immigration. He gets short shrift from myself and Diana Wallis. The interviewer misses a chance to put me on the spot concerning the government's attitude to the future of EU funding for the regions.

Then off to give a talk to a visiting group from Queens University, Belfast.

Lunch with Commissioner Margot Wallström, the Swedish Socialist Commissioner responsible for the environment. I learn that we now all have some 300 chemicals in our bodies that our grandparents didn't have! Many of these have accumulated over years from among the thousands of chemicals we now use without even thinking in our daily lives. At the same time there have been dramatic increases in illnesses such as asthma, skin diseases, certain types of cancer etc. as well as declines in things such as the sperm count among men.

Medical evidence suggests that it is now time to test several thousand chemicals which we had previously assumed were relatively harmless. Often, we don't know which chemical has been responsible for what effect.

Such a comprehensive testing programme is, of course, expensive. That is one reason to do it at EU level, rather than having 15 separate national programmes that duplicate each other. Nonetheless, industry has been lobbying heavily against this programme although the Commission estimates that it would cost only €2.3 billion over eleven years, whereas the benefits would save €50 billion over 30 years – just counting the economic benefits. And this in an industry with an annual turnover of €500 billion per year!

Even the chemical industry itself stands to save: it currently loses €60 million a year from people on sick leave due to skin irritations.

The lunch is also attended by the Head of the European Environment Bureau and the Head of the European Chemicals Industry Federation. A real hammer and tongs debate. But Commissioner Wallström, backed by Parliament, is determined to see the programme approved and underway as soon as possible.

I am also lobbied by the Yorkshire WWF and WI on this matter in Brussels. They presented a petition with 77,000 signatures as well as the results of tests on their own bodies which found their blood to be contaminated with a cocktail of highly toxic man-made chemicals.

Off to meet, greet and brief a visiting group of Labour MPs from the House of Commons – all from the Labour Movement for Europe including its chair, Chris Bryant. They are over for two days and my assistant, Kay, has put together a comprehensive programme for them, meeting Commissioners, MEPs, trade unionists and officials. Two are from Yorkshire: Meg Munn MP and Clive Betts MP. Meg has been a good friend ever since I inadvertently sent her a letter commiserating on failing to win a seat in the general election – only for her to read it out in her maiden speech to the House of Commons having, of course, been easily elected!

Wednesday 17 March

First join the LME MPs in their visit to UKREP to meet with the UK Permanent Representative (Ambassador) John Grant, who gives us a full briefing on where we are on all major current EU issues. He is upbeat about most issues, including the chances of reaching an agreement on the new constitution before July.

Then to meet a group of Sheffield school children who had won a competition to be flown over to Brussels and back for the day on a sponsored charter flight. This was in the context of Sheffield's Europe week – a week long set of European activities in Sheffield. I talk to them with Linda McAvan MEP, take them to the gallery in the Parliamentary chamber and do an interview for Radio Sheffield.

Brief meeting with an Australian MP who has a project whereby administrations can log on line allHome | Photos | Links | Contacts they have with lobbyists and representative organisations. The log would have link pages to a description of the organisation and any policy submission they hand in.

Bump into Ken Collins, the Head of the Scottish Environment Agency. For 20 years he was an MEP and for most of that time chaired the Parliament's committee on the environment and consumer protection. No-one has had more influence over EU environment legislation, as his continuity in that position far outlasted that of the longest serving environment ministers in Europe. During that time the bulk of the EU's environmental legislation (don't forget that 80% of our environmental laws are EU ones) were adopted under the co-decision procedure. Ken shaped most of it.

The LME MPs come to an EPLP campaign meeting where we compare notes on what is happening in the run up to the European election campaign in our different regions and where we also heard a presentation of how to counter apathy among young voters. We also had a cursory first look at the draft manifesto of the Party of European Socialists, on which we will be fighting the election.

Linda and I have a separate meeting with Clive Betts and Meg Munn to discuss one of the key election issues facing Yorkshire, namely the future of European regional funding. I then receive a delegation from the Swedish Foreign ministry who want to talk to me about how the Parliament will work post enlargement and whether I have any more changes to the rules of procedure up my sleeve.

Then to dinner with Neil Kinnock and the visiting MPs. Neil was in lively form, entertaining us all with stories, anecdotes and political points all mixed in together. What a raconteur! It is hard for anyone else to get a word in edgeways. After dinner I am supposed to meet some journalists from Yorkshire Television, but owing to a mix up on the venue we fail to be in the same place at the same time. Finally get to bed at one in the morning exhausted.

Thursday 18 March

Up early for a quick hour's work in the Parliament before leaving at 8.45am to the airport to fly back to Leeds-Bradford. Catch up with work in the constituency office and have a quick meeting with Jamie Hanley, the son of the very likeable Leeds councillor Ted Hanley. Jamie is equally likeable and is hoping to be selected as a Labour candidate in the next general election.

Spend a little time browsing through the new blog of a fellow Labour MEP, Catherine Stihler.

After I give a telephone interview with a student, I go off with Lol to Sheffield for an event as part of Sheffield's Europe Week. The event in question is called A taste of Europe. Student chefs in Sheffield Training College produce a dish from each of the 15 current member states for a buffet dinner. There are also quizzes and questionnaires – a merry time is had by all. I do one of my 'funny' speeches. Fortunately people have had enough to drink to be able to laugh at my jokes.

Friday 19 March

Meeting of Labour Leaders in Yorkshire. This enables Council leaders across the region to compare notes on common problems and to look ahead to forthcoming election campaigns and issues. I do the European report, which sparks a debate on the future of European regional funding as well as helpful suggestions for the election campaign.

Back to Leeds for some more office work before a meeting with Age Concern. I am the only MEP to turn up although the other parties were invited. Useful exchange and several ideas emerge from the meeting.

Back to the office before heading off to Driffield – an hour and half drive each way – to talk to Driffield CLP. A good meeting: as Labour stalwarts in a Tory area, they are delighted at the prospect of campaigning in the European elections where their votes will not be wasted, as they are totted up on a regional basis in a proportional system. They have already begun to organise.

Get back to Saltaire at 10.30pm – starving and dying of thirst!

Monday 22 March

Lunch with James Pond, Commission official dealing with enlargement and celebrated purveyor of news, gossip and anecdotes.

Then to do on on-line chat with schools from 11 different countries. Questions come in far faster than I can possibly answer them all individually, but I make a fair stab at covering all the subjects raised. Schools also start chatting to each other, comparing and contrasting their views. From Turkey and Romania in the south east to Latvia in the north east and Spain in the south west – a broad range of European countries and it is great to get them all talking together.

Tuesday 23 March

Do an interview on enlargement on Hungarian television. Some politicians in Hungary have come up with the idea that the main parties unite to present a common list of candidates for the European elections in order to show national unity. I find this idea bizarre. Elections should be about offering choice to the voters, not denying it. Most divisions in the EU are along political, not national lines.

I have lunch with Romano Prodi, President of the Commission, Enrique Baron, Leader of the Socialist Group and Geogio Napolitano, Chair of the Constitutional Affairs Committee. Prodi is optimistic about the chances of member states resuming the IGC and agreeing a new constitution by June and possibly before the European elections. However, he is downcast at the sort of compromises that might be necessary to achieve this.

In any case it means that the issue of a new European constitution will inevitably feature in the European elections campaign. Given the scare stories put about in the British Eurosceptic media on this, with the Tories jumping on the bandwagon, we will be faced with the challenge of spelling out complex issues. The case for the new constitution is a good one, but it does require patient explanation and rebuttal of a lot of the nonsense that has been put about.

Then to the EPLP executive bureau, and the evening's EPLP (Labour MEPs) meeting. There are a number of interesting issues.

First, some bright spark has given a highly distorted account of one of our election campaign meetings to the press. What was said undermines our credibility and our strategy and the member concerned should be strongly disciplined - but we don't know for sure who it is.

More seriously, there are a number of issues on which we must decide how to vote.

An innocuous looking report on equality between men and women and access to services is causing difficulty. It would require, for instance, insurance companies not to discriminate. However, this would mean raising significantly the insurance premiums for women drivers, who currently benefit from a lower rate because of the large number of accidents caused by young men. Although the report emanates from the Women's Affairs Committee, it is scarcely a proposal that will help women! The EU's deserved reputation for having been beneficial to women and women's rights would, at a stroke, be undermined. We decide to oppose the report.

Then the issue of American measures to combat terrorism. These include requiring all airlines flying into the USA to hand over all the data they have on their passengers - but this would require European airlines to break European data protection legislation. The Commission has negotiated a compromise with the Americans on which we have to vote next week. In terms of the media attention it will get, it is a no win situation. If we support the agreement, we will be attacked by civil liberties organisations. If we oppose it, we will be attacked for being week on terrorism. The agreement reached between the Commission and the Americans would limit the amount of data held to that which airlines have anyway, require it to be destroyed after 3 years and provides an appeals mechanism so that people can challenge incorrect data held. Is this enough to justify derogation from our data protection laws? The clinching argument is that, if we don't approve the agreement, the Americans will unilaterally bring in their legislation in its tougher format and if European airlines don't comply they would simply require passengers to fill in all this information upon arrival. In other words, people arriving in America on European airlines (but not US airlines) will face hours of queuing and form filling at American airports. On balance, we decided to support the Commission's agreement, but this may put us in conflict with other components of the Socialist Group.

Finally, there is an issue of animal welfare legislation. A Commission proposal to tighten up regulations on the transport of animals, which would represent a small improvement on the current rules, has been amended in the Agriculture Committee in a positive direction. However, we agree to support amendments on the floor of the House to go a step further. If these are adopted it will be a significant breakthrough, but if we only manage to achieve what the Agriculture Committee proposes it will nevertheless be a significant improvement.

Wednesday 24 March

Not as busy as yesterday. Most of the day in the Socialist Group meeting with candidates for the European Commission from the new member states. They all make short statements followed by questions and generally leave a quite good impression. Several have backgrounds, not so much as elected politicians but as academic/civil servant/diplomat careers and two or three led their countries negotiations on accession to the European Union.

Later, Robin Cook addresses the Socialist Group in his capacity as President of the Party of European Socialist - the structure that groups together the mainstream social democratic parties in Europe, of which we are the Parliamentary Group. He is optimistic about the American Presidential elections, pointing out that eight of the last ten elections have been won by the taller candidate - and Kerry is taller than Bush! That would have been true last time as well, had the American democratic system actually provided for the candidate with the most votes to be declared the winner!

Thursday 25 March

Morning in the Socialist Group going over the same issues we went over at the EPLP meeting on Tuesday night (see blog for Tuesday). On the transport of animals the group is divided between the package that came out of the Agriculture Committee which is a significant improvement but not ideal, from the point of view of animal welfare, and more radical amendments suggested by various members, but which we might not get through Parliament. In the end, the Group decides to allow members a free vote on the more far-reaching amendments coming forward from the all-party animal welfare inter-group (of which I am a member).

Then a meeting with UEFA on the interplay between EU law and football. The imbalance between a few super-clubs and the rest of the footballing world is widening and we need to do something about it. It is quite wrong for the outgoing UEFA secretary general, Gerhard Aigner, to blame the decade-old Bosman judgement and wring his hands.

Then off to the European Council (summit) press room. I am asked to appear on news-night on BBC TV to discuss the summit, but later they decide to take instead Pat Cox, the President of the European Parliament (Irish Liberal).

I have lunch with Denis MacShane, our Minister for Europe, and three other MEPs on an all-party basis. The conversation soon turns to the Liberals who profess to be strong supporters of the new European Constitution, but are happy to team up with Tory Euro-sceptics to put obstacles in the way of its ratification, simply to embarrass the government.

Then off to the airport to get back to Leeds in time to speak at Leeds North East CLP.

Friday 26 March

Early start to get to Cleethorpes for 10am for a Council seminar on European issues affecting North East Lincs. I am always puzzled that Grimsby Town Football stadium being located not in Grimbsy but in Cleethorpes. Instead of Grimsby Town, shouldn't is be call Grimsby and Neighbouring Town? Off to Hull for a photo session at The Deep, an example of the benefits of European funding. Back to Leeds to catch up with some of the mounds of paperwork.

Get a call from BBC TV to do a live interview on the constitution. This meant I had to cancel a visit I had planned to Harewood House, Leeds, to see how Red Kites (birds) are being reintroduced into the habitat. From the BBC, I went to Leeds North West CLP, at the newly re-built Lawnswood School.

Monday 29th March

Today, the Fabian Society published on-line my response to the Fabian pamphlet written by Gisela Stewart MP. I get lots of messages in support of what I have written – clearly many people think that I was right to rebut the nonsense she had written. As it happens, it is also very timely as the issue of the European Constitution is once again hitting the headlines following the re-launch of the negotiations agreed by the summit at the end of last week.

The Guardian also carries a piece by me on the constitution which is widely circulated on-line.

In the evening, dinner with Geoff Hoon MP, Secretary of State for Defence. Geoff is in Strasbourg to speak tomorrow to the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and to address a meeting of the EPLP. He is in remarkably good form and buoyant mood, given what he has been through in recent months. I hadn’t realised that he was now the longest serving defence secretary since Dennis Healey, having served four and a half years already.

Geoff is a former MEP, and thoroughly enjoys this return to his old haunts. He regales us with a tale of when he once returned home from Strasbourg with some Munster cheeses for the family. Munster is a somewhat smelly Alsatian cheese at the best of times, but when his flight was delayed on the tarmac for two hours in the summer heat, the smell began to spread across the whole of the aeroplane, much to his embarrassment.

Tuesday 30 March

Interviews on BBC Radio Leeds and Ridings FM on my ideas to reform football (see blog on DATE), before a meeting on liberalising the energy market in Europe. Then to the EPLP meeting with Geoff Hoon, which gave rise to a lively, though good natured, exchange of views.

In the afternoon I get to a meeting on the situation with Bombardier, the rail manufacturing company making people redundant in Doncaster and Wakefield and other places across Europe. David Hall from Doncaster AMICUS Branch is there. Many ideas where exchanged as to how we can pursue the matter and hopefully save some of the jobs.

After a lively Socialist Group evening meeting, I finally escape Parliament at ten in the evening to have a quick bite to eat with Linda McAvan MEP and Catherine Stihler MEP.

Wednesday 31 March

Early start for a Radio Humberside interview on my football proposals and then spend the whole morning in the chamber for the debate with Bertie Ahern, the Irish Prime Minister, and Romano Prodi, Commission President on the results of the European Council. In my speech I analyse what is in prospect in terms of reforming the European Parliament’s budgetary powers in the new constitution, before turning on the leader of the Christian Democrat group, Poettering, who had claimed that his whole group was united in supporting a quick agreement on the new European constitution. In fact, a large chunk of his group, namely the British Tories, are conducting a malicious campaign against the new constitution, making all sorts of wild allegations. Harry Poettering will need to wave his magic wand if he wants to maintain unity in his group. The hypocrisy of the Conservatives, claiming to be euro-sceptics domestically, but sitting in the highly federalist Christian Democrat group in the European Parliament and supporting their candidates for key positions in exchange for a share of the group’s finances, is breathtaking.

Not that the British tabloids would even dream of pointing this out to their readers!

In the afternoon, after various routine meetings, I go for a quarter of an hour to the reception being hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce where I am collared by some of their members on the Commissions proposals on testing chemicals (see blog on DATE).

The Socialist Group meeting ends with a tied vote on some Commission proposals on the common fishing policy, with the Group dividing largely on a north/south basis. After much procedural wringing of hands, the group decided to allow a free vote on the floor of the House the next day.

I eat in the evening with my old friend, Julian Priestley, Secretary General of the European Parliament and David Martin, Vice-President thereof. After dinner, although it is late, a quick drink with my friends Mike Shackleton and Francis Jacobs, the co-authors with me of “The European Parliament”, the leading academic textbook on the Parliament. We plan to work on a new edition after the elections.