Update from Richard Howitt MEP (November & December 2013)

7/27/2019 Update from Richard Howitt MEP (November & December 2013)

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FromRichardHowittMEPYour Labour Euro MP for the East of England

Please distribute at your General Com mittee meeting and to o ther interested party mem bersIn this edition Page 2 Tories defend bankers bonuses Page 3 Richard dances Gangnam Style!

Back Page Labour by-election victories Also in the Constituency

cost-of-living crisis highlighted by Ed

One of the biggest drops in real wages - shrinking

by 3 per cent since the General Election, with only

the Netherlands, Cyprus and crisis-hit Greece worse.1

The highest ratio of spending cuts to tax increases

of any austerity programme in Europe.2

The highest diesel fuel prices in Europe.3

The highest costs for childcare of any EU country, as

a barrier to work.4

The fastest rising prices compared to every other EU country.5

The most expensive cost of housing in Europe, more than double compared to second -placed France.6

"In fact a European-wide survey shows a bigger number of British people saying poverty andinequality is getting worse compared to every other European country," commented Richard.7

Watch Richards speech to the 2013 Labour Party Conference at http://on.fb.me/1i9jlIf

1 bit.ly/17tPvvB 2 bit.ly/17T4CiX 3 bit.ly/1715NcV 4 bit.ly/1btP03P 5 bit.ly/1btPabu 6 bit.ly/1b01cQc 7 bit.ly/1gIXVCy

As Human Rights Spokesperson for the European

Parliament's Socialist and Democrat MEPs, Richardhad the enormous privilege of helping present theSakharov Prize for freedom of thought to Aung San Suu

Kyi, (see picture left). The Burmese democracy leaderwas only able to receive the award 23 years after it

was agreed, because of her years in house arrest under

the country's military dictatorship.

Ed Miliband speaks at the Eastern Region Reception at Labour Party

Conference, watched on stage by Richard and by Luton South MP Gavin Shuker.


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Richard's campaign on behalf of two sons from Manea , Cdrug overdose from an incompetent German doctor, sa

better checks on qualifications, a minimum list of compet

Richard told the parliamentary debate: "Although I joichanges, the doctor responsible is still registered for pra

their case to the European Court of Human Rights, and

this case is achieved."

As Richard and his fellow Labour Euro MPs voted

to switch EU spending to target jobs and growth,

two of our East Tory MEPs voted against1and were

joined by all our Tory and UKIP MEPs voting

against targeting EU funds to help deprived areas

and to combat unemployment2.

Our Tory, Lib Dem and UKIP MEPs combined toweaken Labour-backed proposals to increasegraphic health warnings to 65% of cigarettepackets3. Conservative and UKIP MEPs backed BigTobacco by voting down measures to ban slimcigarettes4, which are targeted at young women, andto block the regulation of electronic cigarettes to thesame high standard as nicotine gums and patches5.

Richard backed the

C a m b r i d g e - b a s e d

Cance r Resea rch

C a m p a i g n ,

demonstrating flavoured

cigarettes aimed at the

young, which will now

be banned thanks to

Labour votes.

East Tory and UKIP MEPs voted against EU

regulation of medical devices following the scandal

of defective breast implants6. Our Lib Dem MEP

joined them in voting against the highest safety

rules for urgent implants including artificial hips7.

Our Tory MEPs voted against calling for agreement ofglobal carbon emission targets at the next UN ClimateChange Conference8. East Conservative and UKIPMEPs voted against making environmental impactassessments a condition of any fracking project9.

The East UKIP Euro MP was one of only 29 MEPs to

oppose a guaranteed right of access to a lawyer and

access to a consulate for those arrested abroad10.

The Tory-led Government has challenged European

Parliament decisions in favour of a Robin Hood Tax

and of capping bankers' bonuses by lodging cases

at the European Court of Justice. "Cameron is both

wrong and hypocritical,"said Richard11.

1 bit.ly/1bcIciD (page 11) 2 bit.ly/1bcIciD (page 31 & 33)3bit.ly/1HF0Bm4 (page 56) 4bit.ly/1HF0Bm4 (page 70)5bit.ly/1HF0Bm4 (page 124) 6 bit.ly/1hF13AM (page 49)7bit.ly/1hF13AM (page 49) 8http://bit.ly/HY3HRz (page 371)9 bit.ly/1cU389Q (page 63) 10 bit.ly/1aTrGhG (page 13) 11 bit.ly/18rflv6

In the annual debate on Europe's common foreignpolicy, Richard outlined the case against British

Tory isolationism. An edited version of his speech

was published by Labour List at bit.ly/1g54UEx6.

Also as Labour's European Foreign Affairs

Spokesperson, Richard spoke in a parliamentary

debate on the crisis of Syrian refugees.

Richard and his fellow candidates for the 2014 European

Elections have been speaking at CLPs throughout the

region during the Autumn to discuss the campaign.

Richard has already spoken at meetings in roxbourne,Peterborough , Waveney, Ipswich, Norwich North , edfordand Luton. Read Richards article on Labours approach tothe elections on the British Influence website at

bit.ly/171Ilwr


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whose father was killed after receiving a lethal

new European law passed last month to require

ies and clarifying the right to test language skills.

avid Gray's sons Stuart and Rory to welcome thee in Germany. They have now been forced to take

re will be no peace for the family until justice in

New collaboration between Essex Police withC o l c h e s t e rGateway andChelmsfordMENCAP tobetter report

hate crimesa g a i n s td i s a b l e dpeople, sawRichard visitboth, as partof proposalshe is drawingup for a

E u r o p e a nP a r l i a m e n treport ond i s a b l e d

women. Our Labour Euro MP also took themessage to MENCAP projects in Hatfield andHuntingdon, to call on police forces there to dothe same. Earlier Richard hosted a visit to theEuropean Parliament from Norfolk s 'EqualLives' group, exposing the risk of cuts forcingdisabled people back in to large institutions.

The Government is wilfully ignoring the costly

lessons of the CJD, e-coli and horsemeat

scandals according to Richard, after

Conservatives pushed through proposals in the

European Parliament to end physical

inspections of carcasses in slaughter houses.

Backing the campaign of the Unison trade

union, Richard warned: "Inspectors tell me

relying on visual-only inspections will mean

cancerous abscesses, tuberculosis and lesions

will end up being eaten in sausages and pies."

Richard showed the local meat industry

supporting him, during visits to Lamberts

Abattoir in Eye, Suffolk (see photo) and J.E.Howard, Butcher's on the Queen's Estate inSandringham, Norfolk.

Richard meets Leader Cllr George Nobbs as part

of efforts to boost European funds to Labour-ledNorfolk County Council. Earlier he visited thecounty's EU-funded Digital Heritage Project in

Norwich , preserving home-made wartime filmsmade on both sides of the Channel.

Voted to use EU data protection laws to opposeblacklisting of workers for trade union activities.

Voted to outlaw market abuse following the Liborbank rate setting scandal.

Called for EU legislation to outlaw exploitative zerohours contracts.

Helped to agree European plans for supervising theconduct of banks.

Backed new rules to limit the risks for new homebuyers.

Voted to ban toxic substances from batteries.

Helped set new maximum flight times for airlinepilots and cabin crew.

Expressed concern at the arrest of 30 Greenpeaceactivists in Russia.

Launched an inquiry into reports of illegalsurveillance by US intelligence in Europe.

Richard is taught to dance Gangnam Style with

learning disabled members in Chelmsford.


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Contact Richard by phone: 01223 240202 or by fax 01223 241900Address: Labour European Office, Unit 3, Frohock House, 222 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 3NF

Email: [email protected] Website: www.richardhowittmep.comFollow Richard on Twitter: @richardhowitt or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/richardhowittmep

Helped launch local appeals to fight heart diseasein Hitchin and in Diss.Reacting to the shocking reports of sex abuse at theYarls Wood detention centre, was Speaker atBedford Refugee and Asylum Support Service AGM.Visited JJBA book-keepers in Coggeshall, Essex toshow how European action will help a campaignagainst cyber-crime on one-in-ten of Federation of

Small Business members.Harvested Halloween pumpkins at the EU-fundedWestfield Children's Centre in Watford.Gave a keynote speech at orfolks Burston StrikeSchool Rally.Reported to the Essex Labour Campaign Forummeeting in Chelmsford and to the Regional Boardmeeting held in Harlow.Attended fundraisers in Luton South with AlanJohnson MP and the Stevenage Labour Garden Party.Welcomed EU funding towards Colchester film festival.Took part in the anniversary of the EU-fundedDallow Community Centre in Luton.

Richard and the newly re-selected Labour parliamentary candidate Kerry

Pollard joined the Unison day of action against privatisation of theprobation service in St Albans.

Hosted the Cambs -based Internet WatchFoundation at a Brussels conference oncutting funds to online child abuse images.In his role as Corporate Social ResponsibilityRapporteur, co-hosted a visit of Indian businesses toProspects College in Basildon.Addressed University of East Anglia Labourstudents.Spoke out on Southend and Colchester Hospitals beingforced to undertake 1million private work.Protested at the closure of Southwold Recycling Centre.Answered questions from Cambridgeshire school students.Joined organisers of the street child World Cupfrom over 20 countries, in Cambridge.Opened the 65th anniversary of the Cranfield, Beds-based manufacturing company BHR.As national Vice-President, promoted the RSCPAsFreedom Foods label at a farm in Wimpole, Cambs.Opened the Eastern Region Labour Party pre-conference briefing held in Cambridge.

Richard joined 12 EU-funded trainees at Waveney not-for-profit "Bright

Green," installing energy insulation in homes in Harbour ward, Lowestoft.

Richard and his fellow European candidates joined in the successful by-election campaigns in Thurrock (above), Waveney and in Hitchin.

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls takes the phone orders and Richard writesthem down, during a small business visit to Surma Takeaway, Stevenage.

Documents

Update from Richard Howitt MEP (November & December 2013)