Ming makes the case for Europe
Tuesday, 12 December 2006 12:00 AM
Britain's global interests are far better served by its ties with the EU than the US but it must stop "squandering" this potential, Menzies Campbell has warned.
The Liberal Democrat leader accused Labour and the Conservatives of avoiding the issue of Europe because of fears it may damage their electoral prospects, but warned this reluctance had "stifled debate and cost us dearly".
"Few matters are more fundamental to Britain's interests than our position within the European Union. But Britain's relationship with Europe has always been marred by a degree of ambivalence, and continues to be so," Sir Menzies said.
He attacked Tony Blair for his close relationship with the US, saying his foreign policy "lacks credibility and influence". In Iraq, he said "we have embarrassed our friends, diminished our influence and exposed the citizens of Iraq to a new form of daily terror".
Conservative leader David Cameron had also failed to grasp the significance of Europe, despite his recent comments in support of the union, Sir Menzies said.
"An unpublicised meeting here, a lukewarm press report there. These are no substitute for public recognition of the salience of Europe, and the potential it offers for British leadership and the furtherance of British interests," he argued.
He said many of the "causes of public anxiety" in Britain, including cross-border crime, terrorism, climate change and immigration, "cannot be tackled effectively without coherent and coordinated action by the European Union itself".
"It is axiomatic that Britain's foreign policy should be determined by British interests and British priorities. But Britain is no longer in a position to achieve its objectives on its own," Sir Menzies said.
He added: "We can more effectively lead the way from within Europe than we can on our own, whether in carrying weight in the wider world or in influencing our ally, the US. This is an extension of sovereignty, not its erosion."
The question was now how to address the problems with the EU, Sir Menzies said, noting the feeling that "Europe has lost its focus", was "punching below its weight and that it is less effective and less influential than it should be".
He called for Europe to take a stronger role in world affairs, for example by acting as 'honest broker' in the Middle East peace process where the US is too tied to Israel to achieve much on its own.
But Sir Menzies warned it must reengage with its citizens by cutting the amount of legislation produced from Brussels. He also called for a 'power audit' to ensure that "only where issues are most effectively addressed by collective action, should the EU act".
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