Newsletter January

Brussels

Issues around working time are on the political agenda again amidst concerns that the UK opt out of the 48 hour working week will not be removed as expected. To formulate strategy on this issue, Jean has been meeting with several organisations including the CPME, BMA and the German Association of Hospital Doctors.

Jean met with Frank Birske, chairman of the German Services' Trade Union to discuss the Services Directive. The Commission proposal on services in the internal market could risk a lowering of standards in the provision of key public services including health.

Jean Attended a working lunch promoting social inclusion in an enlarged Union. The lunch was held by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions.

When the Women's Institute came to Parliament during the REACH negotiations, Jean met with them to discuss hazardous chemicals in consumer products.

At a working lunch with the British Retail Consortium, Jean outlined Green Group priorities on employment and the Lisbon agenda. Again, positions on working time provided for fruitful debate.

As part of a wider strategy to bring MEPs together with NGOs, Jean hosted a Reception for the European Anti Poverty Network and invited guest speakers from all political Groups.

On the occasion of a visit from the Mayor of Hiroshima, Jean spoke alongside Caroline at a Parliamentary NPT event.

Jean has been a long time champion of Roma rights and recently attended the meeting of the European Parliament Roma Forum. Jean also condemned the negative press coverage of the Roma during the Parliamentary debate on racism.

London - Constituency Activities

Jean spoke to the East London Palestinian Solidarity Committee public meeting and also spoke at a West London TUC meeting on the EU Constitution.

Jean’s assistant represented her at a major inter-faith event in Redbridge organised by the League of British Muslims. The event celebrated Eid, Christmas, Diwali and Hanukah.

Jean’s tips for a green Christmas included recycling Christmas trees and wrapping paper - her advice received coverage in the local London press.

Discussions began with a number of national and London-based organisations, including the Environmental Law Foundation, Justice and Cornerhouse, about the lack of access to justice for non-governmental organisations in the EU. The organisations are working with Jean to highlight and address this issue.

As part of the London School of Economics’ Environment Week, Jean gave a keynote speech on the environment and refugees, drawing attention to the vulnerability of coastal communities around the world, following the Asian Tsunami disaster.

Jean’s assistant attended the Mayor’s for Peace event at City Hall on her behalf. Jean was unable to attend because she was sharing a panel with the Mayor of Hiroshima at a parallel event in Brussels.

Jean met with Transport 2000 and advised them on ways of raising the issue of the transport dimensions of climate change at the EU level, including in London, when the UK has the EU Presidency.

Jean met with a delegation of Iraqi Kurds, who briefed her on the extremely poor conditions in Iraq regarding the elections and fears that Kurdish self-determination was likely to be violated, as it was under Saddam. The meeting helped explain why a number of groups were boycotting the elections.

Jean met with a representative of the Bangladeshi Green Party whilst he was in London and has been invited to attend a Green Party event in Bangladesh later in the year.

Jean participated in a CND peace vigil marking the inauguration of George Bush.

Jean spoke at a CAMPACC protest in central London against criminalising communities, and at a protest against deportations to Zimbabwe at the Home Office.

Additional media coverage included a letter in the Guardian attacking Michael Howard’s plans to limit the number of refugees allowed to enter the UK; attacking the government’s position on the Belmarsh prisoners; and an interview with a student newspaper about environmental refugees, and encouraging Londoners to recycle on twelfth night.

Current Affairs - Jean's Comment on Anti Semitism

This speech is taken from the Plenary Debate on a European Parliament Resolution on anti - semitism, 26th January 2005.

I welcome this resolution on this extremely important anniversary. As others have said, there is a risk that the memory of the realities of the horrors of what happened in the concentration and extermination camps will start to fade. It is also worth mentioning that later in the year we will also be remembering the effects of nuclear weaponry.

It is not just a question of thinking about these events in terms of remembrance or even of education. As the resolution says, we must look at them not simply as historical events, but as a very real and present danger, which I believe they are. When political movements are not just extremist, and not based solely on certainty, but are also based on some feeling of their own superiority or their desire to be superior, that is an extremely dangerous mix for all of us.

I, like others, welcome the moves by the Commission and the Luxembourg presidency to restart the negotiations on the draft framework decision on racism and xenophobia, because this is an issue that needs a political response.

I am very pleased that the resolution makes a point about the role of the media having a positive or a negative way of either engendering hatred or explaining difference in a positive way. When we look at the way in which some of the British media, for example, reported the plight of the Jews fleeing Hitler’s Germany and looking for sanctuary in the UK, we hear phrases like ‘we have enough’, ‘other people should be doing more’, ‘we should be sharing the burden’ as I suppose we would put it in modern parlance. A lot of that newspaper coverage was hostile: it vilified the Jews, and it actually treated them as sub-human. When we look at the way in which some of those same papers today have portrayed the Roma in the run-up to the accession of new Member States last year, and their remorseless targeting of asylum seekers, we know that those ideas have not gone away.

Politicians also have a very clear leadership responsibility to promote understanding and a respect for different religions and races. This does not mean avoiding the difficulties, but if we are serious when we say ‘never again’ to the horrors of the Holocaust, we as politicians must stand up for strong anti-discrimination policies and confront racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and faith-based hatred, rather than bending our policies before it.

This resolution shows that we believe it is possible to make a positive future and that we in this House have the privilege and the possibility as politicians to help shape that future in a positive, constructive way.

The Resolution was adopted by the Parliament on 27 January

Click here to read the Green Group press release (featuring Jean)