– the questions that prospective candidates for the European Parliament must answer
The 10 key questions
When and where the hustings take place
The European Parliamentary elections are set for June 2004 and currently the Conservative Party is selecting candidates to fight that election. To get elected it is vitally important to gain a placing towards the top of the ballot paper. Therefore, the Party will be holding hustings that give you the chance to decide in what order candidate are listed and thus likely to be elected. You can ask questions at the hustings, and below are a number that will help you identify where they stand on the key European issues.
The prospective candidate’s degree of Euroscepticism must be a key determinant in their selection. Selecting the Right candidate is crucial – this will shore-up Eurosceptic representation in the European Parliament and avoid the problems caused by fifth columnists like Bill Newton-Dunn who in June 1999 was elected as a Conservative and subsequently defected to the Liberal Democrats.
The 10 key questions
The 10 key questions that need to be asked of those that are seeking your support for a placing on the ballot paper are;
Do you oppose in principle the introduction of the Euro, and will you vigorously campaign to keep the pound in any Euro referendum?
I understand that the MEP’s relationship with the European People’s Party (EPP) is under review, if the Party decides to leave the EPP/ED Group will you support the Party’s decision?
Do you support the repatriation of Fisheries and Agricultural policy back to British control?
Will you oppose any form of constitution for the European Union and will you seek its repeal if one is introduced?
Have you ever voted for any reductions in the EU Budget to prevent Europhile campaigning groups from receiving public money?
How did you vote in the European Parliament on the reports on the intergovernmental conferences of both Amsterdam and Nice?
What do you think the European Union exists for?
Have you ever been a member of groups such as the Bruges Group, the Campaign for an Independent Britain or CAFE. Or have you ever been a member of pro-euro groups such as the European Movement or the Conservative Group for Europe?
Will you advocate the renegotiation of Britain’s relationship with the EU so that we can simply be involved with a free trade area, which is what the country thought that it was voting for in 1975?
Do you imagine there might be a time for the UK to leave the European Union?
Remember, if you have ever complained that your representatives in the European Parliament do not hold your views, nor support the policies of the national party well now is your chance to change things.
When and where the hustings take place
Scroll down and locate the forthcoming hustings for your area:
NORTH EAST
Hustings meetings:-
Cleveland, Durham, Northumberland and Tyne & Wear
10:00am Saturday 18th January 2003
Bishops Suite, Ramside Hall Hotel, Carrville, near Durham City
Doors open at 9:00am
Followed by the COUNT
EAST MIDLANDS
Hustings meetings:-
Lincolnshire
7:30pm Thursday 23rd January 2003
Bentley Hotel, Lincoln
Doors open at 6:00pm
Nottinghamshire
7:30pm Friday 24th January 2003
Notts County Football Club, Meadow Lane, Nottingham
Doors open at 6:30pm
Derbyshire
11:00am Saturday 26th January 2003
Derbyshire County Cricket Club, Derby
Doors open at 10:00am
Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
2:00pm Sunday 26th January 2003
Leicester Racecourse Conference Centre, Oadby, Leicester
Doors open at 1:00pm
Followed by the COUNT
WALES
Hustings meetings:-
North wales
6:30pm Friday 17th January 2003
Kinmel Manor Hotel, St. George’s Road, Abergele
Doors open at 5:30pm
Mid & West Wales
2:30pm Saturday 18th January 2003
Rhayader Leisure Centre, North Street, Rhayader, Powys
Doors open at 1:30pm
South Wales
10:00am Sunday 19th January 2003
The Memo, Memorial Hall Theatre, Buttrills Road, Barry
Doors open at 9:00am
Followed by the COUNT
WEST MIDLANDS
Hustings meetings:-
Herefordshire and Shropshire
6:45pm Wednesday 29th January 2003
Assembly Rooms, Mill Street, Ludlow
Doors open at 6:00pm
Staffordshire
6:30pm Thursday 30th January 2003
The Staffordshire Showground, Stafford
Doors open at 5:30pm
Worcestershire and Warwickshire
7:00pm Friday 31st January 2003
Wythall Community Centre, Wythall Park, Silver Street, Wythall, Birmingham, B47 6LZ
Doors open at 6:30pm
Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry and the Black Country
9:45am Saturday 1st February 2003
The Clarendon Suites, 2 Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham
Doors open at 9:00pm
Followed by the COUNT