David
Sumberg MEP
Conservative Member of the European Parliament
North West of England
Thanks
for your marvellous response to my newsletter.
I’m really glad you find updates from Europe of interest so if you’re
aware of any Association which isn’t yet on my mailing list, do please let me
know - it’s vital to keep our members informed about events in Brussels and
Strasbourg.
Backing
our region
I
recently met Catherine Feore of the Greater Manchester Brussels office to
discuss the way that parts of our region can get their get their fair share of
resources from Brussels.
And a few weeks ago Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Industry came to
the Parliament to discuss how the region’s MEPs can best represent the
Chamber’s interests.
It’s essential for me to keep in touch with opinion-formers in the
North West and for me to be aware of how European legislation has a direct
effect on the prosperity of the region.
Cash
for the North West
The
European Commission has approved a regional development plan for the North West
for the years 2000 to 2006 of around £500 million which will attract matching
funding from public and private sources. It’s
good news of course but don’t forget that this Euro cash is really our own
money coming back to us and we rely very much on our hardworking local
Conservative councillors to ensure that it’s not frittered away by spendthrift
Labour and Liberal Democrat authorities.
Supporting
Britain in the European Parliament
One
of the tasks that I’m very keen on is to try and bring a sensible approach to
the European Union. That’s why I
didn’t support parliamentary approval of the EU Charter of Fundamental Human
Rights – it’s another piece of unnecessary interference from Brussels and I
make no apologies for not joining Labour and Lib Dem MEPs who voted for approval
of EU-wide tolls on road and rail users. Conditions
vary from country to country and a ‘one-size fits all’ approach is totally
inappropriate.
Election
reflection
By the time this newsletter reaches you we
could be in the middle of a General Election and County Council Elections, and I
shall be trying to support as many of our candidates in the region as possible
whenever the campaign begins. It’s
so vital that we do well in the North West and increase our numbers at both
local and national level. I
recently honed my canvassing technique by going out in support of our excellent
candidate, Graham O’Hare, in the Preston bye-election.
He did really well, reducing the Labour majority and achieving the sort
of swing which augurs well for the party in the elections to come.
Foot
and Mouth
As you can imagine, foot and mouth
disease has been high up on my agenda, particularly as so much of the farming
industry and the countryside in the North West has been hit by it. I have been in touch with Franz Fischler, the European
Agriculture Commissioner, and there has been a debate in the Parliament,
meetings with the NFU in Strasbourg and much discussion as to how Europe can
assist to resolve the problem. If
you have been affected by this crisis, which has been so devastating for farmers
and for tourism in the North West, please do get in touch if you think there is
anything I can do to help at a European level.
Meeting
the people
I’ve
had the pleasure of attending lots of events over the past few weeks and it’s
been good to meet so many people. Visits
have included speaking at Association functions in Wirral West, Manchester
Withington, Oldham East and Saddleworth and also at the Bury and Tottington
Rotary Club. I’ve enjoyed too
helping the ‘Keep the Pound’ day organised by Crewe and Nantwich Association
and have had a number of meetings with North West companies and businesses.
Please keep inviting me – once we’ve got the elections over and done
with!