THE TIMES

MAY 08 2001

Back Blair for sake of Europe,
Schroder urges

BY PHILIP WEBSTER AND ALLAN HALL

G
ERHARD SCHRODER, the German Chancellor, intervened yesterday in the British general election, calling for a Labour victory so that Britain could work in Europe for Europe. 

In remarks that angered the Conservative Party, Herr Schroder told a conference of European Socialist leaders that the EU would both widen and deepen in the years ahead. He said: Social democrats in the European Union bear responsibility for main projects of the future. I am convinced that we can live up to this responsibility if we work together. I hope in the wake of the elections our friends in Britain will retain the confidence of voters so that they will be able to work in Europe for Europe. 

Herr Schrder was speaking on the day the ruling bureau of his own Social Democratic Party endorsed his call for the creation of a European government and a reformed and more powerful two-tier European Parliament. 

He said he had relaunched the EU debate in Germany and told the delegates in Berlin: EU integration is one of the raisons detre for the German State as it exists today. The economic power and political opportunities Germany has to bring to bear have to be harnessed to the greater good of European integration. 

Trying to apply these lessons to others means German social democracy will take on itself the role of being the party of European unification and this will determine parameters of debate in future as well. 

He added: We need to bolster the European institutions and ensure we continue along the road of European integration. 

Herr Schroders remarks, though in line with his recent decision to take a more avowedly federalist line, came as a gift to the Conservatives. Francis Maude, Shadow Foreign Secretary, said: Tony Blair is about to fire the starting gun for the election. Britain has a choice to remain independent as a self-governing nation or to become part of a federal superstate. 

Herr Schroder is the first significant politician to say what Labour dare not admit that Tony Blair wants to take Britain into an EU superstate after the next election. 

Earlier Mr Blair’s fellow Socaliast leaders gave him a helping hand for the election by dropping calls for the new EU charter of citizens rights to be made legally binding. 

The move was welcomed by Robin Cook, representing Britain at the meeting in the absence of Mr Blair, because the Tories would have said that Mr Blair’s previous claims that it would only be a political statement were worthless. 

The Charter on Fundamental Rights restates basic human rights but also strays into areas of social policy, including the right to strike and worker consultation. 

It has been attacked by Tory Eurosceptics as an embryonic European constitution, which would further erode British sovereignty. 

Mr Cook, who today becomes president of the European Socialist parties, has backed some of Herr Schroders ideas for EU reform announced last week. 

He has supported the so-called Berlin Declaration that, in part, promises a redefinition of national parliaments while strengthening the European system. The strong British delegation to the conference is under intense pressure from other hardliners to pursue more vigorously the vision of Europe as outlined by Herr Schroder. 

Brussels: Gordon Brown warned the European Commission yesterday not to meddle in Britain’s budgetary affairs (David Lister writes). 

In what was seen as a deliberate attempt to show his Eurosceptic credentials in the run-up to the general election, the Chancellor accused the Commission of unfairly singling out Britain for criticism over its planned level of public spending. He said Brussels had strayed beyond its mandate. 

There is NO CopyRight on this document, which is one of many 1,000s of items freely available on http://www.SilentMajority.co.UK [some 18Mbs.] & 10s of 1,000s of items on The SilentMajority CD [with over 50Mbs.] which contains the entire web site & hosts other web sites also, 1,000s of apposite quotations, Articles, Speeches, Commentaries, ArtWork, & The FULL text of The EU Treaties, Several Related Books, The British Constitution, The American Constitution & Numerous related Items.
SilentMajority nor any associate thereof does NOT vouch for the veracity of the documents hosted on its site or CD nor any foreign language documents thereon & advises you consult your own solicitor on legal details as we do not accept liability for, nor presume to give legal advice ourselves.
For a copy of the CD please mail payment of £20.00 for UK deliver or £25.00 for ALL other Countries payable to:
Greg Lance – Watkins,
Glance Back Books,
17 Upper Church Street,
CHEPSTOW,
NP16 5EX
Monmouthshire,
GREAT BRITAIN
For delivery of 2 x CDs
one for your own use
+ one for on selling or donation to an individual of influence (media, politician, activist etc.)

IF YOU wish to use the Material Above, which is freely provided
Please have the Courtesy to Print It out in its entirety from start to finish with NO alterations, as displayed.
To This Point
.