September 2009

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the September 3rd 1939 British and French declarations of war in the Second World War. Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and MEP for London Sarah Ludford said:

"This 70th anniversary - and the forthcoming 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall - is a timely reminder of the profound value of the European Union and its entrenchment of pan-European peace and democracy following the horrors of World War II the Holocaust Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe the Cold War and the threat of nuclear obliteration."

Commenting on the eighth anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks on the twin towers in New York Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman Sarah Ludford MEP recently appointed vice-chair of the European Parliament's delegation to the United States said:

"Eight years on the outrage at these horrific attacks does not lessen. But the world has learnt that the 'war on terror' approach is not the way to deter terrorists or secure justice which only adherence to the rule of law can provide."

European Commission president Jose Barroso who is seeking endorsement from MEPs for a second term has agreed to the European Liberal Democrats' demand that the next Commission will have a Commissioner charged exclusively with fundamental rights and civil liberties.

The move was revealed when Barroso appeared in front of the European Parliament's Liberal (ALDE) group to seek support for his renomination as the next Commission president. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group to which UK Liberal Democrat MEPs belong made this in July an explicit request to Barosso after long campaigning for such a post.

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and MEP for London Sarah Ludford commented:

In answer to Liberal Democrat European MEP for London Sarah Ludford a top European Commission official has acknowledged that the EU has failed to convince the public of the seriousness of global climate change and the economic and jobs advantages of urgent action.

At an event organised in the European Parliament by the European Forum on Renewable Energy Sources (Eufores) Sarah Ludford asked Christopher Jones Director-General for Energy and Transport why the public relations on energy conservation and climate change was so poor. He admitted that getting the message across is one of the biggest challenges for the new Commission. Sarah Ludford commented: