Parties set out business case at Weber Shandwick/New Statesman Euro Elections event

The representatives of the main UK political parties battling in next month's Euro Elections set out their stalls to a high level business audience at Fox Court on Thursday 21 May.
 
Addressing the theme 'A Europe for Business', Timothy Kirkhope MEP, leader of the Conservative Group in the European Parliament, said his party wanted to work in Europe to lift the burdens on business, and to ensure that policy matters were dealt with at the appropriate level. Kevin McGrath, fourth of Labour's list of London candidates, emphasised the need for the UK to be strongly represented in Europe, something which would be undermined if voters switched allegiance to the smaller parties, such as UKIP. Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP emphasised the commitment of the Liberal Democrats to the European project, and flagged up, by way of example, the way in which her party would continue to promote effective co-operation on banking regulation, while ensuring the retention of appropriate regulatory powers at national level.
 
After a response from James McIntyre, Political Editor of co-hosts the New Statesman, there was a lively debate with questions from the floor. A particular area of controversey was the Conservatives' continuing commitment to leave the mainstream EPP-ED block within the European Parliament, to set up a new group, to be called the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, with smaller parties on the right.

Timothy Kirkhope, MEP