Andrew Turner, the Island’s MP, has welcomed the announcement that the Conservative Party has formed a new right-of-centre group in the European Parliament called the European Conservatives and Reformists Group.
The Conservatives did well in the European elections on the Isle of Wight, beating UKIP, the Liberal Democrats and Labour at the ballot box. This success was mirrored across the country.
Conservative Party leader, David Cameron, promised that the Tories would leave the European People’s Party (EPP), and now he has done so. The Conservative party believe that the EPP is too much in favour of a federal Europe and surrendering more power to Brussels. The new group will adopt an anti-federal line, saying that the EU does not require a constitution, and that many powers should be returned to individual nations.
Mr Turner said:
“I am very pleased that David has finalised this new grouping in the European Parliament. The EU has, for too long, been hurtling down the path to ever-closer integration, whilst eroding our national and local independence. The latest episode was the Lisbon Treaty – the European Constitution in all but name. All three major parties promised a referendum on a European Constitution. Only the Conservative Party have remained true to that view – the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party have reneged on their promises. In December of 2007, Gordon Brown went ahead and signed away our historic independence. The new Conservative group in the European Parliament will be a strong voice against this kind of undemocratic behaviour.”
Dan Hannan the Conservative MEP representing the south-east of England with particular responsibility for the Isle of Wight, said this week:
“Now that we have unveiled our allies, critics will have to admit that we have brought together a coalition of moderate Centre-Right parties – in many cases parties of government – and that many of the MEPs who have joined us are former ministers. It seems likely we will begin as the fourth largest party in the European Parliament and may well attract more members in the near future.”
Mr Turner continued:
“I do not believe in a federal Europe, and I think that many people in the UK share that view. If the Conservative Party forms the next government, we have promised to let the people, not politicians, have the final say on whether we sign up to a European constitution or not.”
