Press releases

  • Celebrating 40 Years of Elected Labour MEPs

    Last week, Labour MEPs past and present, colleagues and friends gathered to celebrate the tremendous achievements of Labour in the European Parliament over the past 40 years.

  • PES Congress in Madrid

    Report from the congress of the Party of European Socialists in Madrid – February 2019.

  • EPLP statement on citizens’ rights

    European Parliamentary statement on Brexit negotiations and rights of UK citizens residing in the EU and EU citizens residing in the UK.

  • My response to Supreme Court Judgment

    I welcome the judgment of the Supreme Court on the proper process for the triggering of Article 50. We live in a parliamentary democracy. Only Parliament, not the government, can decide on a matter that can affect the rights of UK citizens. Parliament must now seize the opportunity to take control of this process, to determine the best way […]

  • My response to Brexit High Court Ruling

    The Government has an opportunity to reflect, and argue its case in the Palace of Westminster, which is only right for a country that is a Parliamentary democracy.

  • Labour MEPs warn hasty Brexit will be disastrous

    Labour MEPs will warn the European Parliament that Brexit will be the “mother of all divorce cases” and will be “disastrous” if done hastily, reiterating how the UK government remains divided on membership of the single market, one of the biggest issues to be resolved. MEPs will debate the future of the EU today, and […]

  • MEP tours Grimsby fishing industry

    Richard Corbett, Member of the European Parliament representing Yorkshire and the Humber, joined Grimsby MP Melanie Onn on a tour of Grimsby’s finest fishing businesses on Monday 23 June. Richard Corbett is a member of the European Parliament’s fisheries committee, which monitors and examines current European legislation and proposes changes to the Common Fisheries Policy […]

  • Innovative app passes 10,000 users to puts EU facts in voters’ hands

    A phone app from a Yorkshire Labour MEP is making waves ahead of the EU referendum, with more than 10,000 downloads since its launch in 2015. Available for free on both Apple and Android devices, the Doorstep EU app presents basic facts about the European Union and how it works. It also includes a range […]

  • Yorkshire MEP votes to tackle youth unemployment, end zero-hours exploitation

    Richard Corbett MEP voted today for EU action to increase the skills of young people, helping their prospects in finding a job. Proposals include improving the quality of career guidance at schools; forecasting skills needs in the labour market; and improving how education institutions and local employers work together. The report also calls for national […]

  • Labour MEPs demand EU ministers take action on steel crisis

    Labour MEPs have demanded urgent EU action on the steel crisis at an emergency meeting of ministers tonight. Labour MEPs, together with trade unionists from GMB and Unite, held a rally outside the European Commission ahead of the meeting, calling on business secretary Sajid Javid and fellow EU ministers to come up with measures to […]

  • Labour Euro MPs call for government action on steel industry

    Labour MEPs Linda McAvan and Richard Corbett have strongly condemned the UK government’s mishandling of the crisis facing the steel industry following the announcement of 900 job losses in Scunthorpe today. Linda said: The fate of the British steel industry must be a priority for David Cameron in light of the talks with Chinese President […]

  • MEPs back Labour proposals for stronger Commissioner confirmation hearings

    The European Parliament voted today for a more rigorous process of confirmation hearings for Commissioners, giving MEPs more power to cross-examine nominees. The proposals from the European Parliament constitutional affairs committee, in a report authored by Labour MEP Richard Corbett, include allowing follow-up questions in the event of non-answers; second hearings in case the answers […]

  • “We need more female Commissioners in the future”, say S&Ds

    In the future, EU governments should present one male and one female candidate to the post of Commissioner in order to enable the President of the Commission to ensure gender balance in the European Commission. This is one of the key recommendations of a resolution drafted by Labour MEP Richard Corbett and approved today by […]

  • Labour relaunches grassroots pro-European movement

    The Labour Party’s grassroots pro-European organisation relaunches today with a reception and planning meeting in Westminster. The event brings together grassroots members from across the country and senior politicians to unite around making the case for the UK’s continued membership of the European Union, ahead of the forthcoming referendum. The Labour Movement for Europe’s honorary […]

  • Labour MEPs welcome Commission’s proposals for better regulation but warn against deregulation

    Labour MEPs have broadly welcomed the European Commission’s proposals for better regulation, but warned against deregulation of social and consumer rights and environmental measures. The Commission, responding to pressure from the European Parliament, today published its “Better Regulation” package: a proposal to revamp the EU’s legislative procedures to improve effectiveness and transparency and to subject […]

  • TTIP controversy: Report highlights serious concerns as well as potential benefits

    Today’s Select Committee report on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership points to many advantages of a future trade deal with the USA, but it also highlights serious risks, says Yorkshire MEP Richard Corbett. The House of Commons Select Committee for Business, Innovation and Skills has published the results of its investigation into the […]

  • Labour MEPs tell Juncker: Reform the EU and take action on zero-hours jobs

    Labour MEPs have called on European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to take action on posted workers, precarious employment and zero-hours contracts. Mr Juncker took questions from MEPs at a meeting of the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) Group last night. Richard Corbett MEP, Labour’s Deputy Leader in the European Parliament, asked Mr Juncker: What are […]

  • A loophole on redundancy?

    An unwelcome opinion on redundancy law expressed today by an advocate of the European Court is not the end of the story, says Richard Corbett MEP. Common Europe-wide rules protect workers from unfair treatment in the event their employer intends to make them redundant. Among other rights, these rules guarantee the right to consultation about […]

  • Richard elected Vice-Chair of revamped European Movement UK

    Richard Corbett, Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire & Humber, has been elected Vice-Chair of the UK-wide European Movement. The vote took place at the organisation’s annual general meeting in London on 22 November and takes place ahead of a planned modernisation and relaunch of the organisation nationally. It means Richard, together with newly-elected […]

  • Yorkshire Normandy vet awarded French Legion of Honour

    An East Yorkshire resident is to be awarded France’s highest decoration for service in the Normandy D-day campaign 70 years ago. Leslie Skelton, of Tickton near Beverly, is to be presented with the Legion d’honneur medal in a special ceremony at the French embassy, London, on the morning of Armistice Day, 11 November this year. […]

  • Yorkshire MEP takes to the seas in Grimsby

    Yorkshire MEP Richard Corbett will spend a day in Grimsby this week to learn first-hand about the challenges facing the fishing industry. Following European elections in May, Mr Corbett is now a member of the influential Fisheries Committee of the European Parliament. The committee is highly significant in shaping EU fisheries policy. It has been […]

  • Labour advances, sends Richard Corbett back to European Parliament

    Tonight saw the Labour Party bolster its influence in the European Parliament, winning new seats in many of the UK’s regions, including Yorkshire and the Humber — which re-elected Richard Corbett. UKIP managed little more than to add to the previous BNP votes to their 2009 results along with support from disgruntled Conservatives (UKIP + BNP in […]