Sarah's bulletin: 19 October 2009

Last week I was in Berlin for an ALDE group meeting and study session. We met FDP leader Guido Westerwelle, currently in negotiations with Angela Merkel about the formation of a collation government in which he might well become Foreign Minister. Our ALDE leader Guy Verhofstadt pointed out that progress in EU integration usually came when the FDP held this post, so hopefully this is a good omen for the Lisbon treaty!

We also visited the museum of Stasi archives, the East German secret police. With its miles and miles of archives of information from spies and informants on the daily activities of ordinary innocent people, this reminded me yet again of how important it is to protect the liberties of individuals against the snooping powers of the state.

Election as vice-chair of Justice

I was last week elected Vice Chair of Justice, the prestigious law reform and human rights NGO which our own Lord (Willie) Goodhart used to chair before the current incumbent Helena Kennedy. It really is a very considerable honour and I look forward especially to working even more with Justice in upholding the rule of law across the European Union in the context of EU criminal cooperation.

Geert Wilders ban backfires

Geert Wilders, a Dutch MP leading a party with notoriously racist and far-right views, has won his appeal to the UK's Asylum and Immigration Tribunal against the ban on him entering the UK. I welcome this ruling, not of course because I want him to come here or in any way sympathise with his obnoxious views, but because denying such extremists freedom of speech only turns them into martyrs which they can politically exploit. When Wilders did come on Friday, he was of course greeted by a media circus and was able to bask in the limelight. I was delighted to see that prominent Muslim figures invited him to debate with them, which I guess he will not accept! How to handle the BNP raises similar issues and my own preference is firmly to contradict and expose them to scrutiny.

You can read more about this issue, and that of MEPs losing their access to the Houses of Parliament, in the following articles in the Guardian, the Daily Mail and the Index on Censorship.

Boris Blunder #543: Europhobic rhetoric undermines interests of the City

Our oh-so-amusing but not-really-as-clever-as-he-thinks-he-is Mayor has made another "Boris blunder". Despite the fact that at a meeting 6 weeks ago I and other London MEPs explicitly advised him not to portray the draft European directive on hedge funds as an 'EU plot' to wreck the City of London, he has gone and done just that. What is annoying is that he says he is speaking after meeting London MEPs which implies he took our advice!

Anyone familiar with European (or indeed any) politics knows that public rhetoric needs to be firm but also constructive, even if it conceals very tough negotiating. Boris' bluster just undermines the efforts of everyone else to make sure the - genuine - interests of the capital's financial services sector are upheld. These interests are not necessarily the same as Boris' interests in seeking political donations. The Commission has admitted that its proposal was hastily drafted, and there is in fact cross-party and EU-wide support to make the directive a sensible piece of regulation. Sharon Bowles as chair of the Econ committee is leading the attempt to do so, on the basis that a well-regulated but also thriving City is an asset to the whole EU, not just London or the UK. A subtle politician would understand all that, unfortunately Boris either cannot or will not. Read more about the issue here.

Manchester Airport trial of 'naked body' scanner

It was alarming to discover that Manchester airport has starting trialing the "naked" body scanners my Liberal colleagues and I campaigned so hard against at the end of last year (see coverage of the issue here). The Department for Transport is set to decide on whether to install them permanently up and down the country when this current trial ends in October 2010.

But Conservative MEPs who protest now are being two-faced, as they largely opposed a European Parliament resolution last October calling for a ban on these scanners before an assessment was made of their impact on fundamental rights and privacy. Philip Bradbourn, Tory West Midlands MEP, who said last Tuesday that he was "outraged" at the "invasive trial" and that he would "ensure that this unnecessary peep show technology does not enter into trial at [Birmingham International airport] in the near future or ever" was not even present at the vote, despite the fact that at the time he was a vice-chair of the EP civil liberties committee!

Consumer rights: travelers booking direct also to be protected

The European Commission will announce later this month that it will be proposing an extension of consumer protection laws to travellers who book their hotels, flights and car hire separately. At the moment, those who choose to book through package holidays are protected if the trip is cancelled by the tour operator or if the company goes insolvent, but this is not the case for tourists who book direct with the hotel/airline, as most of us now do. This change to the Package Holiday Directive is essential to make sure that no one is vulnerable to the whims and failures of airlines such as SkyEurope. This is yet another example of the EU fighting for the rights of the bloc's 500million+ consumers, ensuring that they are not exploited by unscrupulous operators.

London region conference on 14 November - come along!

The London Region Liberal Democrat conference - the London equivalent of party conference in Bournemouth - is being held on 14 November at City University in my home borough of Islington, starting at 9.30am. It is London's last chance to get together, share experience and learn from each other before we head into the most important national and council elections we have ever faced. Its location in Islington is not coincidence - Islington South and Finsbury is one of our target parliamentary seats, and one where we need fewer than 500 votes to win!

Do come along if you can and get your liberal friends to come along too! Campaigning is made so much easier and more fulfilling if you know that - and have met - hundreds of activists across the region. I will be speaking about how to link Europe and London in our campaigning, Susan Kramer and Tom Brake will be reporting back from Westminster and our London Assembly Members and PPCs will also be giving us the benefit of their experience. If you would like more information or want to register for the conference just email londonlibdems@cix.org.uk .

Government set-back in bid to cover up torture collusion

The High Court has ruled that the government cannot justify concealment of paragraphs in a document which apparently summarises Binyam Mohammmed's treatment in US custody and will probably throw light on what the UK government knew. HMG are huffing and puffing and trying to delay through appeals, but the day when we will know the full truth is approaching.

Diwali

Warmest best wishes to those celebrating the Hindu festival of Diwali, which includes the 'Festival of Lights'. Apart from the religious and Indian community significance it's a great time of year to be having such a cheerful and warming celebration!

Best regards,

Sarah Ludford