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Drivers’ Hours

This month in Strasbourg, MEPs approved new rules determining how much time truck and coach drivers can spend behind the wheel before they must take a break.  According to Gary Titley, the current regulations are over 20 years old and a lot has changed in that time.

The abolition of border check-points, single customs documents and better roads meant that driving was now possible for long periods of time without any natural interruption, he explained.  “In an EU of 25 member countries, where goods and passengers can be transported over an area of 1.5 million square miles it is vital for road safety to have a consistent set of rules,” he said.  “We all know that tiredness kills and failing to modernise the current regulatory system would be irresponsible.”

That didn’t stop Tory MEPs opposing the new rules, though.  Branding the measures as bureaucratic, they claimed they would snarl up the wheels of industry with red tape.  In a withering attack on the Tory position, Gary added: “I call these proposals to ensure proper rest breaks for drivers plain common sense.  Drivers, wherever they have come from, need to be safe and alert on the road.  Labour MEPs have committed themselves to reform whereas the Tories have voted to wreck things again.”

EU Enlargement

The European Parliament’s decisive vote this month in favour of the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU was warmly welcomed by Gary Titley. The Labour Leader in Europe is widely regarded across the political spectrum as one of the parliament’s leading experts on EU enlargement.

Speaking on behalf of Labour MEPs, he said: “Labour’s longstanding support for Bulgaria and Romania’s membership of the EU remains as strong as ever. But the government of both countries still have a great deal to do to press on with their respective reform programmes, before they will be ready to join.”  Assuming both countries meet all the requirements laid down for membership, they are expected to accede to the EU in 2007 or 2008.

UK Presidency of the EU

The senior official advising on the forthcoming UK Presidency of the EU, Nicola Brewer, travelled to Strasbourg this month for a round of meetings ahead of the UK stepping into the EU hotseat on 1^st July.  In a private meeting to discuss how the Presidency can showcase all the benefits EU membership brings to Britain, Gary once again stressed the importance of the government using the Presidency to reach out to people and explain why Europe is so important to us.

MEPs’ pay and expenses

The European Parliament may at long last be close to getting new rules on MEPs’ pay and allowances.  The Luxembourg government has made this issue one of the priorities for its EU Presidency during the first half of this year.  Indications are now emerging that agreement between Ministers from the 25 member countries could soon be reached.

Welcoming this development, Gary said:  “Reform is long overdue.  Labour MEPs already have very strict internal rules on how we account for the taxpayers money we get.  We made the decision some years ago to get our accounts examined by independent auditors on an annual basis.  I hope that this will become the general rule for the whole of the European Parliament.”

Sinn Fein

Gary agreed to a request from Bairbre De Brun, the Sinn Fein MEP for Northern Ireland to a meeting this month.  It came about at her request in response to extensive media coverage in Northern Ireland following the comments Gary made at the March plenary session about criminality there.

Speaking after the meeting, Gary said: ”I reiterated my view that the raid on the Northern Bank, the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney, the intimidation of witnesses, the protection of suspects, and the evidence of money laundering all pointed to the fact that criminality had become part and parcel of everyday life in Northern Ireland.  When I met the sisters of Robert McCartney recently, they agreed that criminality had no place in the political process.  I repeat – criminality imprisons people, it does not liberate them.”

And Finally…

Gary hardly had a chance to catch his breath at the end of a hectic Strasbourg plenary before he was whisked off back to the UK to begin a nationwide General Election Tour of marginal seats, including some in his own North West region. He won’t be able to spend as much time on the campaign trail as he would have liked, though.  That’s because the relentless schedule of European Parliament business will be carrying on, regardless of the May 5 poll here in Britain. 

Details of Gary’s General Election tour are as follows:

                                                                                           Gary Titley MEP

March 2005