Graham Watson - Liberal Democrat MEP for South-West England and Gibraltar

Graham Watson MEP calls on UK Government to back open decision making in Europe

12.39.22pm GMT Thu 15th Feb 2007

Graham Watson, Leader of the 106 Liberal Democrat MEPs, is calling on the British Government to make the British Parliament fully informed on European Affairs by giving it access to all European Commission and European council documents. This comes following a deal struck by the German Government with the German Parliament (Bundestag) whereby German MPs will have full access to the many Commission and Council working groups where many EU laws are decided, often behind closed doors.

Commenting, Graham said:

"We will never conquer euro-scepticism in Britain until EU laws are seen to be made in an open and transparent way. The UK Parliament is a long way behind the German Parliament since British MPs do not have access to crucial decision making documents.

"Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has already expressed her desire for all Ministerial deliberations to be made behind closed doors, but in doing so she is showing how out of step the UK is on this issue. If the UK Parliament is not allowed to scrutinise the EU law-making process then the least that can be done is to make clear what British representatives are negotiating on its behalf."

Bookmark this story at: del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg FacebookFacebook LibDigLibDig redditreddit StumbleUponStumbleUpon
Print this news story.
Previous news story: Spring summit must give Green light for the internal market in energy (Wed 14th Feb 2007).
Next news story: ALDE Member becoming Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Romania (Mon 19th Feb 2007).

Related News Stories:

Sun 16th May 2010:

Mon 3rd May 2010:

Mon 14th Dec 2009:

Mon 8th Jun 2009:

Mon 1st Jun 2009:

Thu 28th May 2009:

Sat 23rd May 2009:

Fri 22nd May 2009:

Thu 21st May 2009:

Mon 18th May 2009:

Fri 15th May 2009:

Thu 30th Apr 2009:

Fri 17th Apr 2009:

Tue 24th Mar 2009:

Fri 27th Feb 2009:

Wed 25th Feb 2009:

Mon 23rd Feb 2009:

Thu 19th Feb 2009:

Wed 4th Feb 2009:

Fri 16th Jan 2009:

Wed 7th Jan 2009:

Mon 1st Dec 2008:

Thu 27th Nov 2008:

Tue 21st Oct 2008:

Wed 8th Oct 2008:

Wed 17th Sep 2008:

Mon 28th Jul 2008:

Tue 15th Jul 2008:

Thu 3rd Jul 2008:

Wed 18th Jun 2008:

Wed 11th Jun 2008:

Sat 7th Jun 2008:

Wed 23rd Apr 2008:

Fri 11th Apr 2008:

Wed 9th Apr 2008:

Tue 8th Apr 2008:

Fri 14th Mar 2008:

Tue 11th Mar 2008:

Wed 5th Mar 2008:

Mon 25th Feb 2008:

Mon 12th Nov 2007:

Wed 17th Oct 2007:

Tue 28th Aug 2007:

Tue 26th Jun 2007:

Sat 23rd Jun 2007:

Mon 5th Mar 2007:

Mon 12th Feb 2007:

Fri 9th Feb 2007:

Fri 26th Jan 2007:

Thu 18th Jan 2007:

Tue 9th Jan 2007:

Fri 8th Dec 2006:

Fri 13th Oct 2006:

Fri 22nd Sep 2006:

Sun 17th Sep 2006:

Thu 20th Jul 2006:

Thu 13th Jul 2006:

Tue 13th Jun 2006:

Mon 12th Jun 2006:

Tue 16th May 2006:

Wed 10th May 2006:

Wed 19th Apr 2006:

Tue 31st Jan 2006:

Wed 25th Jan 2006:

Tue 20th Dec 2005:

Fri 18th Nov 2005:

Thu 27th Oct 2005:

Tue 27th Sep 2005:

Tue 20th Sep 2005:

Mon 18th Jul 2005:

Tue 12th Jul 2005:

Fri 3rd Jun 2005:

Mon 25th Apr 2005:

Fri 15th Apr 2005:

Thu 14th Apr 2005:

Wed 13th Apr 2005:

Wed 2nd Mar 2005:

Mon 10th Jan 2005:

Thu 9th Dec 2004:

Mon 22nd Nov 2004:

Thu 28th Oct 2004:

Tue 14th Sep 2004:

Thu 2nd Sep 2004:

Related Press Articles:

Wed 6th Sep 2006:

Related Speeches:

Thu 29th Mar 2007:

Tue 16th May 2006:

Fri 23rd Sep 2005:

Fri 4th Feb 2005:

Wed 10th Nov 2004:

Printed and hosted by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY.
Published and promoted by Graham Watson MEP, Bagehot's Foundry, Beards Yard, Langport, Somerset TA10 9PS.
The views expressed are those of the party, not of the service provider.