Gleadless Valley Liberal Democrats held a well-attended public meeting on Britain’s Role in Europe on July 24th 7:30 at Meersbrook Park United Reformed Church. The main speaker was Edward McMillan Scott, former Liberal Democrat MEP. He is a strong campaigner on Human Rights.
As the Referendum Bill has now been passed, we look forward 2017 when Britain will decide whether to stay in the EU, or pull out and try to make trade agreements on its own.
The main speaker is Edward McMillan Scott, former Liberal Democrat MEP.
Agenda
Introduction. Phil Shaddock – local campaigner for the Liberal Democrats in Gleadless Valley ward.
Sheffield in Europe – Liberal Democrat Councillor for Dore ward who stood as candidate in the European elections 2012.
Yorks and Humber and Europe Edward McMillan Scott
Questions and Comments Your chance to ask questions of Edward and Joe, or to give your views.
Refreshments – 9:30pm
Edward McMillan-Scott was a Yorkshire & Humber MEP from 1984 to 2014. He was Vice-President of the European Parliament 2004 – 2014 with responsibility for Democracy & Human Rights. He was not re-elected in the European election of May 2014. He was voted a Patron of the European Movement in November 2014.
A life-long pro-European, Edward opposed David Cameron’s pledge to Eurosceptics in his leadership campaign to remove his MEPs from the EU’s mainstream. They had joined the EPP group (Conservatives and Christian Democrats) at the behest of Margaret Thatcher, and Edward negotiated a more detached relationship while he was Leader of the 36 Tory MEPs 1997-2001.
After the 2009 Euro-election, Cameron formed a controversial new alliance with a ‘bunch of homophobes, anti-Semites and climate-change deniers’ (Nick Clegg). Edward protested and stood successfully against its nominee for Vice-President of the European Parliament, a Polish MEP with a recent extremist past He was smeared by the Tory Press Office during a long dispute. He joined the Liberal Democrats in March 2010, having worked closely with them for years, especially on human rights and democracy.
He described the Coalition formed in May 2010 as ‘the happiest moment in my political life: Liberal Democrats have tamed the Conservative extremists’.
He founded the €150 million European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), which promotes democracy and human rights worldwide, the only EU programme operating without host country consent, and still the world’s largest. A frequent visitor to the Middle East, and a relation of T E Lawrence (‘of Arabia’) he has long advocated democratic reforms across the Arab world.
He is recognised and respected as a staunch defender of human rights, from dissidents in the ex-Soviet bloc to China, Edward lends his voice to the voiceless.
Edward was first chairman of the European Parliament’s Audit Panel 2004-2012 in recognition of his lead role in highlighting corruption and malpractice in the EU Commission. This initiative finally led to the resignation en masse of Commissioners in 1999 (although Edward exonerated UK Commissioners Brittan and Kinnock from blame), and then to widespread reforms in the European Parliament itself from 2009.