Gary Titley MEP, Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party
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Remember what that young woman said: "Being a Muslim does not negate us being European." And why should it?
A British Muslim recently told me about a conference he addressed in Germany. His audience constantly labelled their views and perspectives as European and his perspectives as Muslim as though they are mutually exclusive. They are not.
Europe is not an exclusive white Christian club. Europe is a union of diverse cultures, traditions, and histories.
This is the European Year of Equal Opportunities for all. Next year is the Year of Intercultural Dialogue. The men and women you saw in that film were part of an 'EPLP project' looking at identity and belonging. Yes, they were all Muslims. Yes, they were proud to be British, Dutch, French. Yes, they are all proud Europeans.
And yes some are frustrated that others think you cannot be all of these things at the same time.
Nobody who lives and works legally in Europe should have to prove they belong. As another woman said "if you want people to be citizens you have to treat them as citizens". A modern, prosperous Europe needs all of us.
That is why the EPLP makes the battle against discrimination in all its forms a priority. We believe the EU should be about bringing practical benefits to all its citizens.
That's why this year we have:
- Cut the costs of mobile phone calls abroad.
- Pushed EU governments to make us the world leaders in tackling climate change.
- Won new rights for disabled passengers on planes and trains.
Our Europe is dynamic, multicultural, ambitious, competitive and also a bridge to the rest of the world. I wonder, would David Cameron recognise this Europe? I doubt it. Mention the European Union, and the Conservative Party instinctively runs for the protection of Dr Who's Tardis. They want to go back to a mythical time of John Mayor's maidens riding their bicycles across the village green or William Hague's foreign land or Graham Brady's country of Grammar schools.
Well, I've got news for Mr. Cameron. The Battle of the Armada is over. The Berlin Wall has come down. Latvia has even won the Eurovision Song Contest.
Yes, this is the Twenty First Century, David. And globalisation is upon us, bringing challenges which know no borders. Climate change, terrorism, people trafficking, international aid, regulating huge corporations like Microsoft.
You have to work constructively with your neighbours to find common solutions to shared problems.
Yet in this modern ever changing world what contribution do our Conservative MEPs make?
In the last year they have:-
- denied that climate change exists
- refused to condemn homophobia in Europe
- discovered that their ONLY woman MEP is to stand down.
- and tried to set up a new right wing group in the European Parliament......
But out of over 230 political parties only two would join them.
Labour meanwhile is busy. Not only delivering for Britain in Europe but also working to modernise the EU and to focus it more on delivering for its citizens. The Twenty First Century challenges are tough and if the EU is to face them, then we have to get away from debates about treaties, institutions and processes.
That is why we need to ratify the Reform Treaty and move on. The deal that Tony Blair struck in June ripped the constitutional heart out of the Treaty. It made it absolutely clear that the EU can only do what member states agree to it doing. It shows for once and for all that the European Union is not a state, it is a political process.
A process which allows us to work together to meet global challenges more effectively and to protect ourselves from shared vulnerabilities. The Reform Treaty makes it easier for 27 countries to work together on common goals and react quicker when problems arise. Nothing more. No flags, no anthems, no Foreign Minister: just a sensible agreement which will allow the EU to do its job.
Let's be honest. Ninety per cent of those who oppose the Reform Treaty do so because they oppose the EU. Look at the writings and speeches of those opponents. They hate the EU because they want completely free markets. They don't want environmental rules getting in the way. They condemn health and safety laws, and condemn European rules protecting workers rights.
That is why the Tories have promised to opt out of the Social Chapter if they ever win an election. Off they go back in their time machine, keen to take away all the benefits that Labour has introduced: 24 days paid holiday, paid leave for parents, the minimum wage.
The truth is this: the battle over the Reform Treaty is a battle being fought against the neo-conservatives on the right. And yet, there are those on the left who have allied themselves with the neo-cons. Like the male black widow spider they will only be gobbled up when their usefulness is over.
The right want a populist campaign to overturn parliamentary democracy. They can't win democratic elections in Britain so they seek to disrupt parliamentary government.
Thankfully, we have Gordon Brown. Not flash, just Gordon, a man of practical politics. A man who will ensure the Reform Treaty which EU leaders will agree in December is one that represents the best deal for Britain.
David Cameron could not broker such a deal -he has no friends in Europe and he is too busy doing a jump to the left and a step to the right!! Ming Campbell could not broker such a deal - he is too busy watching his job going down the toilet.
Only Labour can equip us to meet the challenges ahead. Only Labour can equip us to meet the challenges abroad. Only Labour can deliver for all of us. Thank you.