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Let the dust settle
This was the thought that struck me as a good theme for this
newsletter. There has been a lot of interest at European level in the
general election campaign and more particularly the result and
developments since May 6th. Coalitions are no big deal on the
continent but they know that they are rare and new territory for us in
the UK. They ask what the new coalition will mean for attitudes
towards the EU and the level of engagement by a Cameron government.
Up in the air
It has seemed to me that the answers are a bit up in the air rather
like those clouds of volcanic ash which keep on making life difficult
for air travel. On the whole it looks like the good old British
electorate has got it about right with a Conservative win that was not
enough for a majority but sufficient for a Labour defeat and the
removal of Gordon Brown from number ten. Yet not so much of a Labour
loss of seats as to render them wholly impotent in opposition as we
were from 1997 until 2007. And, surprise, surprise, the puncturing of
the media led Cleggomania meant fewer LibDem MPs in Parliament.
“Grown-up politics”
By comparison with how long negotiations take in places like
Belgium our political leaders adapted fast to the situation. I think
David Cameron has played a blinder in swallowing initial
disappointment to lead a magnanimous offer to Nick Clegg and his
LibDems which they could not in the end refuse. Credit to Clegg for
carrying his people with him because they are mostly further to the
left than Labour and congenitally disinclined to give up the purity
and high moral ground of opposition to join up with Tories in taking
and exercising power. Especially when there are decisions that need to
be taken that will be hard and politically expensive for them to be
complicit in and take shared responsibility.
New Minister for Europe
One of the potential flashpoint issues is Europe and David Cameron has
made moves which should allay concerns on the continent about
confrontation. He has appointed a Minister for Europe in David
Lidington MP who has a reputation of eurorealism and a different image
from that projected by his more robustly eurosceptic shadow
predecessor Mark Francois MP who is going to practice his skills in
the Whips Office. People in Europe like the idea of Nick Clegg playing
a leading role in the new government because many remember him from
his time with Leon Brittan and as an MEP.
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Benefit of doubt
However, while they don’t know for sure how the new government will
work out they seem impressed at the coalition and more than willing to
give it the benefit of doubt. I am sure the press and media are moving
on to tease out any contradictions and flaws in the coalition having
become bored already with their excitement and fascination with the
new politics. The potential for speculation about what might go wrong
and when it could happen is huge but right now I reckon the smart
money is on the coalition working and lasting for years rather than
months. At least until the dust settles and we see things more
clearly.
Out of the ashes
I can’t resist continuing with this dust angle because colleagues have
battled with air travel difficulties in getting to Strasbourg for the
second month in a row because of Iceland’s volcanic ash clouds. This
disruption and related cost is serious but for me a more significant
consequence lies in the effect this dust in the atmosphere may have on
our climate. Past experience suggests it can have a cooling effect
with a cut in the amount of sunshine reaching our planet’s surface
which takes us in the opposite direction to the global warming that
has worried so many scientists and ordinary people. If true this could
force a re-assessment on climate change policy.
Not all done and dusted
Final thought. We had a vote this week on the calendar of meetings
for next year. My South West colleague, Ashley Fox MEP, got together a
cunning amendment with 40+ signatures to change the proposal. By
deleting one session in September and splitting the other one into two
sessions within the same week, ie Monday-Tuesday with a committee day
on Wednesday and another session Thursday-Friday we could honour the
requirement for twelve sessions a year while eliminating one set of
travel costs and scoring a point in the long campaign to end the
shuttle between Brussels and Strasbourg. In the recent past the
Parliament authorities have ruled such amendments inadmissible as
being contrary to the treaty. Not this time, which is a little victory
in its own right. We lost the vote but by a respectable 265 to 380
(thanks to the Socialists voting solidly against!) which gives us a
basis to try again next year. And I have another cunning idea to try
next year in addition to the split week sessions so we live to fight
another day. One could say the same about the coalition I suppose!
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