Over eighty Party activists from throughout the region took part in a rolling programme of campaign meetings in September - to plan how Richard and the team of European candidates can work with CLPs in the run-up to next June's European and local elections.
You are asked to include information about Labour's European campaign in all newsletters and leaflets from now on, and to invite the team to take part in all your campaigning activities.
The meetings held in St Albans, Cambridge, Norwich and Witham agreed a special emphasis on recruiting postal votes. A second series of meetings to chart progress will be held early in the New Year.
Meanwhile the European candidates have this month (November) been in Brussels, for final training for the campaign.
"Twenty-eight of our local councils will hold elections on the same day, and it is essential that CLPs do the hard work now, of ensuring Labour candidates in every seat," urged Richard.
"If we can get Labour voters to the polling station, all the evidence is that they will vote Labour twice".
Top

Richard has spearheaded a region-wide campaign against European Commission proposals to impose VAT on children’s clothes. Events at Little Herbert’s in Ipswich, and at the Adam’s shops in both Welwyn and Chelmsford, have enabled Richard to discuss the threat with local parents and shop workers. “When I met Commissioner Fritz Bolkestein to protest, I made quite clear that it would be low income families who would suffer from the increase prices,” said Richard.
Top

Richard’s latest activities as President of the European Parliament’s Disability Rights Group for the Year include unveiling new accessible buses at Luton Airport, launching a new video aimed at employers with Dacorum CVS, and planting a tree to mark World Mental Health Day with Rethink in Chelmsford. Naturally, Richard played David Dimbleby in a Question Time for disabled activists alongside Minister for Disabled People, Maria Eagle, and he was keynote speaker at a national conference for lawyers held at the University of Leeds.
Top

Richard marked ‘Football Against Racism’ week by training with a team representing the local Refugee Support Group on the pitch at Cambridge United FC. Later he joined MEP colleague Eryl to support a conference organised by Broxborne Labour Party, to combat the election of BNP councillors in Cheshunt and in Thurrock.
Top

Richard showed how the County Council’s environmental, transport, education, social services and regeneration policies are aided by European funding and programmes – when he addressed Norfolk County CLP’s annual meeting, was guest of honour at Felixstowe Labour Party, and put the pro-Europe case at USDAW’s regional annual conference held in Bedfordshire.ence organised by Broxborne Labour Party, to combat the election of BNP councillors in Cheshunt and in Thurrock.
Top

Richard exposed the hypocrisy of American multinational Shering Plough, who sought to blame more than 100 redundancies announced in September on European regulation. Called in by West Suffolk Labour Party, the company apologised to Richard for the original claim, and withdrew it completely. “Working with the Mildenhall Community Partnership, I have called together local public authorities to seek an alternative to the closure plan,” says Richard.
Top

The Tory Eurosceptic MP for Billericay John Barron was left speechless, when he saw Richard open a new £@million European funded craft centre at Barleylands Farm Museum. He’d hardly recovered when he found Richard also launching the new farm guide on behalf of Billericay Town Council. Why not annoy your Tory MP by arranging for Richard to deliver Labour’s positive European message at a local organisation?
Top

FOREIGN AFFAIRS – As Labour’s European Affairs Spokesperson, Richard spoke in Parliament during debates on the Annual Report on Human Rights, on the future of Europe’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and on the Middle East Peace Process.
Top

Richard met with European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy both before and after the failed WTO talks in Cancun – to argue for a better deal for developing countries. He also organised the European Parliament’s first ever fair trade week, with products from Oxfam and Traidcraft served in Parliament’s cafeteria and bars.
Top