Labour Caving in on Euro-Home Office

Wednesday September 28 2006

By failing to rule out ditching the British veto on criminal justice affairs yesterday, Minister for Europe, Geoff Hoon, implies Labour will abandon the UK veto over police and crime. At the EU Justice and Home Affairs summit in Finland the constitution could come into force by the 'back door'.

Brussels, 20 September 2006 -- European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs, Franco Frattini, will today begin the process of taking control of UK drugs, fraud and crime policy at a key summit in Finland unless Tony Blair exercises the UK opt out. Conservative leader in the European Parliament, Timothy Kirkhope MEP, demands that the Prime Minister announces immediately that he will veto the proposals which are a 'step by step' approach to harmonising criminal justice across the EU.

In the name of cross-border cooperation against terrorism and organised crime, Westminster will cede power over drugs policy to the European Parliament, the Serious Fraud Office will cede power over anti-corruption investigations to Europol and the Police will lose power over criminal investigations to Eurojust and the European Court of Justice.

Timothy Kirkhope MEP, who is also spokesman on justice and home affairs said:

"Again and again, step by step, Labour is ceding control of UK home affairs with the support of the LibDems.

"A Euro-Home Office is now potentially days away.

"Harmonisation of home affairs is a flawed approach. It denies our police and security services the flexibility they need to stay one step ahead of the terrorists. Cooperation between member states is the way forward.

"It's of paramount importance that law enforcement authorities have the tools they require to protect us. They must not be hamstrung by giving 'second-guess' powers to the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice.

"Tony Blair said: 'In respect of the criminal justice system, fortunately as a result of what we have negotiated, we can opt in or out at our leisure. That is the right thing to do. There may well be circumstances in which, as a result of Europe, for example, wanting to tighten immigration controls in a particular instance, we might want to participate in that process, but it is up to us. That is the benefit of the flexible arrangements that we negotiated.'

My question to the Prime Minister is: are you opting in or out of Mr Frattini's new Euro-Home Office?"

ENDS