online diary of Richard Corbett MEP

April 2004

Thursday 1 April

I still think my best first of April press release was one a few years ago on Yorkshire being selected by the Commission to pilot Britain’s switch to driving on the right. Despite me saying this would be done in phases (first the lorries, then other traffic) at least one newspaper took this seriously!

Friday 2 April

Saturday 3 April

Then to speak to the East Riding Local Government Committee which wisely has its Saturday meetings in the Cross Keys pub. East Riding Council is Tory controlled, but because Labour and the Lib Dems have each been given one seat in the Cabinet, the public sometimes give Labour equal blame for unpopular Tory decisions, as with the recent decision to withdraw free rail passes to pensioners.

Home via Selby in time for dinner.

Sunday 4 April

With the family, spend the morning leafleting with Labour Party members in Garforth. Fortunately, the weather is nice making it almost as nice as some of our walks in the Dales. Besides, it’s good that the children learn the skills of dealing with different types of letterbox, wrestling with gates and fending off dogs. These skills will be useful in later life – for more leafleting, canvassing and knocking up!

Then on to Knaresborough, just as the weather turns to rain and back home by mid afternoon.

Monday 5 April

Work in my constituency office before going to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield. Speak to an articulate group of sixth formers, many of whom had previously been on a visit to Brussels. Then to meet Jerry Nelson, Regional Secretary of the GMB on European legislation affecting his members. Jerry is keen to highlight this to his membership.

Later to address a meeting of the Labour Group of Bradford City Council in the splendid Bradford Town Hall before returning home just in time to join my wife and children stuffing envelopes for sending my quarterly report.

Tuesday 6 April

During the lunch break I pick up some intelligence from disaffected Tory MEPs. Apparently, the Tories and UKIP MEPs together have tabled a motion of no confidence in the European Commission. This has not gone down well in the Tories political group (they sit with the Christian Democrats) whose leader, Hans-Gert Poettering, summoned the Tory leader, Jonathan Evans, to a meeting to protest in no uncertain terms. Following this, Jonathan Evans has withdrawn his signature from the motion of no confidence and asked other Tories to do the same. Some are refusing (though apparently a few refused to sign it in the first place). Bitter wranglings and recriminations are now taking place among this increasingly divided bunch of members.

It seems too that more will come. Michael Howard has told them to keep their link with the Christian Democrats and remain in the same political group as them in the next Parliament. This will entail their supporting that group's candidates for officers in the Parliament and, presumably, for President of the Commission (with the bitter irony that the Christian Democrats might back Jean-Luc Dehaene, the man vetoed by John Major). In exchange, the Tories will get a vice-presidency of the group and money (about a million euros - suddenly the euro is welcome to the Conservatives!). However, some of the MEPs, once safely re-elected, will apparently not abide by this pledge and intend to leave the group after the elections. Who they will team up with is not quite clear: the far right? The Italian Alleanza Nazionale Party has already said it considers the Conservative too right wing for them! In any case, bitter wranglings seem set to continue.

I then go to a meeting of the Constitutional Committee where, to everyone's surprise, there are a dozen journalists and three television cameras for a discussion on an amendment to the European Parliament's Rules of Procedure. The author of the proposed amendment is the Austrian maverick former journalist Hans-Peter Martin who recently hit the headlines by alleging fraudulent practices among other MEPs which turned out to be without any basis. He has brought his press friends along to this meeting because his amendment to the rules concerns access to confidential documents which he thinks will interest the press. The problem is that he was made rapporteur on this subject two years ago but has only produced his report now, which is far too late for it to get through Parliament before the elections. His proposal consists of adding a single paragraph to Article 3 of Annex 9 of the Rules of Procedure: it took him two years to write some 280 words - a rate, I calculate, of about 1 word every three days! The Committee give him short shrift, whereupon he tries to play the role of the heroic battler for transparency being thwarted by all the political groups in the Parliament! We will see tomorrow what sort of coverage he gets, but I reckon that it was far better to have the media in witnessing what actually happened rather than basing their stories on his version of events.

In the evening I watch Chelsea beating Arsenal and a summary of Monaco beating Real Madrid: in both cases a victory of money over football. The dominance of a few rich clubs based entirely on their financial backers (Monaco has scarcely a few thousand supporters for most of its home matches) is a very sad development.

Wednesday 7 April

Fly back to Leeds from Brussels. In the evening I attend a meeting of the Shipley Branch Labour Party which I end up chairing as the normal chair could not be present. It concerns the selection of candidates for the local elections where we rapidly agree a shortlist of able candidates.

Thursday 8 April

Work in the constituency office interrupted by a visit to the continental market currently being held on Millennium Square in Leeds where I find stalls from several different European countries, mostly offering their varied culinary delights.

Long chat with David Wilson, the Bradford lorry driver wrongly arrested in Greece and finally acquitted on all counts. When he went, following acquittal, to collect his lorry back from the police, he found it was not in the police station but in a scrap yard. It had been vandalised, with his fridge, television and other items stolen, and even the diesel fuel siphoned off. This is an outrage which I shall take up most vociferously. I immediately phone the British Embassy in Athens who promise to take up the case too.

In the evening, go out to dinner with Anne, my wife, Lol, my constituency personal assistant, and my two daughters. We all feel relaxed and enjoy it, whilst commenting that the next few weeks may not be so relaxing as we approach the elections!

Friday 9 April

Good Friday – and a day off work! The sun is shining early in the morning, so with Anne and the girls we decide to go walking in the Dales. By the time we got above Malham, the clouds had come and drizzle descended and then thick mist set in! Somewhat of a disappointment, but still nice to be out.

Then back to Saltaire to do the gardening.

Saturday 10 April

Join the European Movement campaign at the continental market on Millennium Square in Leeds . Good reception from most people – but then blinkered nationalists don't usually enjoy continental markets!

Denis MacShane, the Minister for Europe is with us as well as the indomitable Anna Chester , Regional Director of Yorkshire in Europe , our regional section of the Britain in Europe campaign.

One aspect is a quiz “How much do you know about France ?” which we invite visitors to the various French stalls in the market to complete. Interestingly, almost everybody can answer the question as to which town in France is famous for its mustard, but hardly knows the right answer when it comes to champagne! Surprisingly, even a French person gets wrong the question as to whether Strasbourg is in France or not!

Then off to Hull . I think I know every bend on the M62 by now!

Sunday 11 and Monday 12 April

A precious couple of days with the family.

Tuesday 13 April

Back in Parliament, I attend a presentation given by Professor Simon Hix of the London School of Economics. He is attempting to predict the results of the forthcoming European elections. Interestingly, he has a novel approach: arguing that opinion polls have always been notoriously wrong about European elections, in all countries, he has attempted to develop a new methodology. Instead of relying on polling data, he takes the previous general election results and extrapolates from them by looking at certain trends apparent in all previous European elections: an anti-government swing (depending on when in the national electoral cycle we are), a disproportionate result for smaller parties, the effect of turnout levels etc. Applying this method to the previous European election, he obtained a 92% accuracy rate across Europe – far higher than most predictions based on opinion polls. This time, he says, Labour will do better than five years ago and the Conservatives worse. Furthermore, the far right (BNP and UKIP) will not win any seats at all and the maverick Greens will lose their current two seats in Britain (but not elsewhere in Europe , where they are not nearly so maverick).

After some routine Group and EPLP meetings, I go to one of the confirmation hearings for the new Commissioners – in this case Peter Balazs from Hungary . Like many of the Eastern European candidate Commissioners, he has a background more in technocracy and diplomacy rather than in politics. He performs competently enough, but some of his answers to questions underscore his background in diplomacy.

Then to the monthly Brussels EPLP meeting. Among the items on the agenda is a discussion of positions in the next Parliament and what we should put up candidates for – depending, of course, on the results of the election! A consensus emerges rapidly that we should not put up a candidate for Leader of the Socialist Group but should instead go for the Presidency of the Parliament. I am flattered that some colleagues suggest that I put my name forward, but we already have two potentially strong contenders: David Martin, the current senior Vice-President of the Parliament who stood last time against Pat Cox and did very well, and Terry Wynn, the highly respected Chair of the Budgets Committee. We may decide as soon as next week who should be our candidate.

Wednesday 14 April

Kay's birthday! Kay is my Parliamentary Assistant in Brussels , a task which she performs as if she were an old hand, but she's only been at it for less than a year and she is still in her early twenties. She is also a leading player in the Brussels Barbarians rugby team!

I attend an important meeting of the All Party Group on Kashmir . This ‘Discourse on Kashmir', with representative from both sides of the divide in Kashmir as well as India and Pakistan , takes place as the situation there gives some cause for optimism with the prospect of real negotiations between India and Pakistan getting underway shortly. One clear message from the meeting: whatever is agreed between the Indian and Pakistani governments must be acceptable to the people of Kashmir themselves.

Socialist Group meeting in the afternoon to take a position on items going before Parliament next week. I am pleased that the Group endorses the report by the Dutch Labour MEP Michiel van Hulten supporting reforms in the European Parliament's internal budgetary procedures.

In the evening, an extra EPLP meeting with John Prescott MP, Deputy Prime Minister of one of the EU's member states. Part of the discussion roams over the relationships between MEPs and their constituents with the regional system that we now have, and I am chuffed when John quotes me as an example, citing my profile in Hull .

Thursday 15 April

Only a few hours in the Parliament before rushing home to take my wife, Anne, to hospital for a check up requiring anaesthetic. Fortunately, all turns out to be well.

Friday 16 April

Finally get to spend some time in the constituency office with Lol and Toby. Large number of constituency cases to take up and correspondence to reply to. UKIP members seem to have decided to target me in their letter writing campaigns to newspapers. I never cease to be struck at how such a large proportion of the anti-European letters in Yorkshire newspapers across the whole region are written by the same dozen people!

Evening to Huddersfield to speak to Colne Valley CLP before returning – bliss and joy! – to Shipley.

Saturday 17 April

Up early to get to Cottingham near Hull to speak to Haltemprice & Howden CLP before zooming back to Leeds for a European Movement street stall event in Briggate. The European Parliament also are present with their ‘roadshow'.

Sunday 18 April

Arrived at Manchester airport for flight back to Brussels, and while unloading my suitcase ran into Pat Colling from Colne Valley, who was off to spend a few days in Nice.

Read a study of BBC coverage (or rather lack of it!) on EU affairs done by the Centre for Policy Studies. It points out that in the last European elections in 1999, BBC television news programmes covering the elections totalled just 2.6% of their total news items. Over the last few years under 5% of the output of the “Today Programme” covered the EU. The final ratification of the Nice Treaty following the Irish referendum in 2002 was covered by the Today Programme without a single interview of a British politician about its implications. The Today Programme covered only 17% of the EU stories covered by the broad sheet press (already not very high compared to other countries compared to other countries) on the European Convention and only 15% of EU legislation stories.

Even when there is coverage, it is often dismissive. Jeremy Paxman referred to the 1999 European elections as “an outbreak of narcolepsy” (sleeping sickness). Robin Lustig on The World Tonight said “the European election campaign is in full swing now… nearly two thirds of us will be so underwhelmed… that we won't even bother to vote on June 10 ”. The BBC's European correspondent, Tim Franks, talking of the October 2000 European Summit said “it makes you wonder what a collective noun for so many summits is: perhaps a pile of summits, or a depression of summits?… just in case you thought European politics couldn't get any more dreary…".

With such little coverage as there is consisting of essentially talking down the EU, is it any wonder that people are not interested, are not informed and fail to turn out in European elections? It's a self-fulfilling prophecy on the part of the media: they talk it down because nobody is interested but nobody is interested because they talk it down.

Monday 19 April

Off to Strasbourg. This is the final session for adopting legislation prior to the European elections, as the May session will be given over entirely to processing the accession of 10 new member states and their MEPs and approving the 10 new members of the European Commission.

Reading through the preparatory documents for the session I realise there will be much ado about bees and batteries.

Batteries because new Europe-wide legislation regulating the sale of batteries in the internal market intends, on safety grounds, to phase out some of the more environmentally dangerous types of battery. However, battery manufacturers are getting quite charged up about the details of this proposal.

There is similarly quite a buzz on bees as the proposals have quite a sting in the tale and we might hive them off to the next Parliament!

As to the proposal on marmalade, this is stuck in a jam because of the different definitions used in different countries and languages. Apparently what is a marmalade in one language is a jam in another and vice versa! Unity in diversity is the European Union's motto and long may it remain so.

Agonizing trip to Strasbourg! Agonizing because I have sciatica. It's OK standing up or lying down, but whenever I have to sit for more than a few minutes it becomes somewhat painful from the small of my back down to my knee. I see the Parliament's doctor who assures me I am not about to die and gives me some stronger anti-inflammatory pills to be followed later in the week by injections if things don't get better. He also books me in for an X-ray next week.

Big news of the day is that the Government seems set to announce that it will hold a referendum on the proposed new European constitution, if and when it is agreed. This is somewhat of a surprise as Britain has never ever ratified an international treaty by means of a referendum before - it would be a huge innovation in terms of our own national constitutional arrangements. Nonetheless, many people have been arguing for one and this shows that the government listens. It will also be an opportunity to put Europe at the top of the political agenda and have a real national debate that we have not properly had for many years. Pro-Europeans from government and opposition alike will have to stick their necks out and counter the nonsense put about by our press about the European Union.

In fact, I make a start that very day with an hour long phone in on Radio Leeds (which I was fortunately able to do standing up). It was a perfect illustration of the difficulties that will be faced in a referendum campaign as several people phoning in made the most ludicrous claims about the European Union. Fortunately, others were more sensible.

Eventually leave Parliament at 9pm and go off for a bite to eat with Glyn Ford MEP and David Martin MEP. Glyn had just returned from Indonesia where he had been placed by EU governments at the head of a 200 strong election observation mission to report back on whether the elections where free and fair. EU governments are turning more frequently to MEPs (and even the association of former MEPs) to represent EU countries in election observation missions under UN auspices or others.

Tuesday 20 April

Up early for a 7.10am interview on Radio Humberside followed later by an interview Isobel Field of the Harrogate Advertiser and another radio interview, Holme FM (Huddersfield). The prospect of a referendum has awakened considerable media interest and as I am Labour's (and indeed the Socialist Group's) spokesperson on the EU constitution I am, for once, much sought after.

In the afternoon, I do an interview for BBC TV news 24 and then an hour long phone in on Radio Five Live. I am struck by the argument used by one of the Conservative MEPs, Martin Callanan, against the constitution when he says that "the Nice Treaty is perfectly good" - he had opposed the Nice Treaty lock, stock and barrel when it was adopted three years ago!

After debate, a committee meeting and the Socialist Group meeting, I go out to join the goodbye dinner for the four Labour MEPs who are standing down at the election: Gordon Adam, Mel Read, Eryl McNally and Simon Murphy. Almost every Labour MEP is there and dewy-eyed speeches are made by the four concerned and the EPLP leadership. Gordon remembers when Barbara Castle was Leader of the EPLP after the first direct elections. Eryl regales us with a story of a German MEP speaking in English in a debate and pronouncing "maize" as "mize" which made the interpreters think she was referring to mice. This was therefore rendered in the other languages as her thinking that most people have no objection to eating genetically modified mice!

After the dinner, some of us have a late night drink at Murphy's bar near Strasbourg cathedral, which turns out to have a number of Tory MEPs there with whom I engage in conversation. To my delight, they are in some consternation about Blair's announcement of a referendum on the new constitution. They moan about Blair having out-manoeuvred them yet again by destroying what they considered to be their strongest argument in the European elections, namely their support for a referendum. Indeed, some of them have already had their electoral material printed saying "vote X for a referendum"! However, their internal divisions were exposed when one of them piped up "we don't want to do too well in the European elections, because at the top of all our lists are eurosceptics whereas lower down there are some europhiles and we don't really want them back"!

Wednesday 21 April

Apart from debates in plenary, I speak to a group of visiting Australian MPS and do an interview on Radio Humberside. Also Neil Kinnock rings me for a chat about our strategy in a referendum campaign and how best to rebut the eurosceptics. Then to the final EPLP meeting of this Parliament where we are due to discuss who we would consider putting forward as a possible Labour candidate for the President of the European Parliament, though the formal decision will have to be up the newly elected MEPs in June. Indeed, many argue that we should not take a preliminary decision at all at this stage. Nonetheless, a majority decide to do so and Terry Wynn, the Chair of the Budget Committee, is chosen as our candidate. In the afternoon to the Central Asia delegation meeting to discuss human rights violations in Uzbekistan, then to the final meeting of the all party animal welfare inter-group and finally to speak to a visiting group of French Socialist Party members. Finally the medical service gives me an injection and for the first time in a few days it is possible to sit down for more than half an hour without being in pain.

Thursday 22 April

Final meeting of this Parliament of the working group of Socialist MEPs on the Constitutional Affairs committee, which I chair. We finish with a brief celebratory drink, curtailed by me rushing off to do a debate on BBC TV Parliament channel. Following the votes and the last pieces of legislation we will be dealing with this Parliament I get another jab from the medical service which will enable me to get through the journey home.

Friday 23 April

Off to Hull, which has just been celebrating "Europe Week". Among other things, I participate in the evening in a public debate with candidates from other parties in the European elections on the issue of the European Constitution. The debate is chaired by Lord Norton of Louth from the University of Hull (and Tory Peer). Hearteningly, the debate swings the audience in favour of the constitution: prior to the debate only a minority (31%) were in favour of the constitution, but following the debate 50% were in favour, 43% against and 7% undecided.

Saturday 24 April

Early morning meeting of the Labour candidates for the European elections. The proofs of the electoral address leaflets are ready and look good: far better than five years ago! We go through dates, strategies, events etc. over the coming period which will be more than hectic. The all postal ballot will mean that campaigning has to peak much sooner than with the traditional polling system.

Then to the AGM of the Regional Board of the party which elects a new Chair, Stella Guy of the T&GWU succeeding Peter Box, Leader of Wakefield Council who has done it for the past two years.

Then back off to Hull for a public "European Question Time" together with Timothy Kirkhope MEP (Conservative) and Julia Gash (Lib Dem). Quite a lively time with interesting questions. Quite a few faces from last nights debate turn up - gluttons for punishment!

Monday 26 April

The last meeting this Parliament of my main Parliamentary Committee, the Constitutional Affairs Committee, on which I am the Socialist Group's co-ordinator and spokesperson. We reach agreement on mandating Parliament's representative in the negotiations on the new constitution so they can continue to represent us during the electoral period.

The committee ends which a series of tributes to our outgoing chair, Giorgio Napolitano, who is retiring. Giorgio is the second-oldest member of the European Parliament and has had a long political career behind him, having been President of the Italian Parliament and Minister in several governments, including Home Affairs Minister. He has been a firm but fair Chair of our committee, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience, but willing to listen to other ideas. He will be sorely missed.

I then give a lecture to the European Institute for Public Affairs in the evening, following which I get much grief from my sciatica.

Tuesday 27 April

In the morning I escape from Parliament for an hour to visit the European Employment Week event. I do a tour of the stands representing different Yorkshire organisations such as the Humber Forum, Kirklees Equal Project and the Sheffield something. I also attend the Humber Forum presentation. The event is an opportunity for all kinds of organisations involved in employment and economic regeneration activities from across Europe to meet, network, and learn from each others' experiences. It's noticeable that many Eastern European participants are there this time.

Then back to the Parliament for an hour before going into the nearby clinic for a scan which should determine whether my sciatica is caused by a trapped nerve, a disc problem or UKIP sticking pins in an effigy of me. However, the results will only be available in a few days time.

Then back to Parliament for various small meetings and interviews, before going in the evening to the home of the Luxembourg Ambassador to the EU, for a dinner to say goodbye to three Luxembourg MEPs who are retiring. I'm one of only two non-Luxembourg members to be invited in a dinner party of just over a dozen members, officials and journalists. One of the retirees is Jacques Poos, who has served on the Constitutional Committee with me, and who used to be Foreign Minister of Luxembourg where he chaired three IGCs: the negotiations that led to the Single European Act, the Maastricht Treaty and the Amsterdam Treaty.

Also there are Jacques Santer, the Former Luxembourg Prime Minister who was later President of the Commission, and Robbie Goebbels, the former Finance Minister. At one point the conversation turns to Chirac's behaviour at European summits (Council meetings). Chirac is renowned for his foul language in private, but sometimes lets things slip out in the full European Council. Apparently once, when he was still Prime Minister and Thatcher was British Prime Minister, he said, not realising his microphone was still on, "what does she want - my balls on a plate?". Thatcher, sensing the shock in the room, but not understanding his French, asked Douglas Hurd to translate for her. With all the other heads of government and foreign ministers listening, the gentlemanly Old Etonian managed to convey Chirac's meaning to the Prime Minister whilst trying to avoid a mega diplomatic incident.

Wednesday 28 April

Having got back to bed well after midnight, I have to rise at 6:15am to get to an appointment with an osteopath near the Parliament at 7:20am. This was the only time she could fit me in and I can't help wondering how easy it would be to get an appointment at short notice in Britain (it was arranged the day before following my scan). I am much obliged to her willing to make such an early start in order to accommodate me. She manipulates me in all directions and then warns me that it will feel worse before it gets better: looks like a painful day ahead!

It starts with a meeting of the Socialist Group's bureau and then a lunch break meeting of the Labour MEPs to compare notes on how the election campaign is going in our various regions. All report on organisational improvements compared to last time and greater enthusiasm from party members.

The afternoon meeting of the Socialist Group finishes early, allowing me to beat a hasty retreat and lie flat on my back for most of the evening.

Thursday 29 April

Some old but familiar faces in the Parliament: there is a meeting of the Former Members Association. Of course, I might be joining that myself soon, depending on the results of the elections! - but I can think of a few others to whom I would prefer that to happen. Indeed, I bump into Robert Goodwill, a Yorkshire Conservative MEP who tells me that he has withdrawn from the Conservative list of candidates and will not be standing next month.

I speak to a conference organised by the British Council consisting mainly of journalists from across Europe. I compare and contrast the working methods and styles of the European Parliament and the House of Commons. Some things they do better, but other things we do better.

Friday 30 April

Back in Yorkshire. Lunch with the Directors of Leeds-Bradford Airport who are anxious about competition from the new Finningley/Doncaster "Robin Hood" airport which they claim will be getting unfair subsidies. I promised to check this out but point out that Leeds-Bradford too had subsidies from European Regional Funding when it was getting going.

What with Robin Hood airport and John Lennon (Liverpool) airport, I wonder whether Leeds-Bradford might need a new name? I volunteer "Harry Ramsden" Airport as it's near the original Harry Ramsden airport. Do any readers of the blog have other suggestions? The "Brontë sisters" airport?

Afternoon in the office dealing with constituency cases and a Maldivian MP in exile in the UK, and then to speak to the Federation of Small Businesses over dinner in the evening.