Straw: EU is good for the UK

Thursday, 3 June 2004 12:00 AM

The Foreign Secretary has launched a robust defence of the UK's role within the EU.

In an unusually forthright election speech Jack Straw said Britain's membership of the EU was a "vital part of our future prosperity and security."

He told the Foreign Policy Centre in London that: "More than three million jobs here in the UK depend on our trade within the EU, while 60 per cent of our exports go to other EU member states. With enlargement, British businesses have free access to the largest single market anywhere in the world - bigger than the US and Japan put together."

"The economic advantages that our membership of the EU brings have not happened by accident or by virtue of just being friendly neighbours of other European countries. It has come as a direct result of decisions taken within the EU."

Mr Straw was speaking as the European election campaign heats up, with high profile campaigning from the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and United Kingdom Independence Party.

Whilst the Lib Dems and Labour are broadly pro-European, UKIP are advocating a complete UK withdrawal and the Conservatives are campaigning on "standing up for Britain's interests" and fighting against a "federalist" Europe.

Mr Straw argued that the benefits of the EU have been wider than just economic, saying: "On a wide range of issues, we achieve more together where we can work together than we ever could alone. In doing so we are able to deliver real benefits to British people on the environment, cross-border crime, illegal immigration, promoting rights at work and protecting consumers."

Reflecting on the EU's contribution to peace and security in Europe, Mr Straw said: "It is to NATO and the EU, above all, that we owe almost 60 years of peace and the growth of democracy in Europe.

"By promoting democracy and prosperity, the EU has been a vital element in reconciling once sworn enemies - and encouraging countries which have laboured under totalitarian control to embrace our values and principles."

Turning his fire on his election opponents Mr Straw said that although reform of the EU was required, withdrawal would be an "unmitigated disaster for Britain."

However, he suggested that - unlike the Conservatives - at least UKIP's position was clear.

"But what is unconvincing, unsustainable and absurd is the position of today's Conservative Party which says that we want to continue to be a member of the EU but we don't like what the club does and will therefore no longer abide by the club's rules."

He pointed to Michael Howard's commitment to renegotiating existing European treaties, and stated "changes to these treaties also require unanimity."

"Yet Michael Howard has yet to name one of the 24 other countries which would have to support him on any single aspect of this programme. This would therefore leave him with the grim reality of whether to backdown, or to withdraw from the EU altogether."

"Michael Howard must take much of the blame for the state of chaos and panic his party is now in over UKIP and Europe. After all, despite being part of the governments which signed both the Single European Act and the Maastricht Treaty - the two most significant EU treaties in terms of transferring sovereignty from member states - Mr Howard has spent most of the last decade denigrating and criticising the EU built upon those treaties.

"Today, Mr Howard is paying the price."

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