EU elections hustings London
On 20 May, Bond, Amnesty International UK and the Jubilee Debt Campaign co-organised a European elections hustings in London. The panel consisted of Sarah Ludford (Liberal Democrats), Ralph Atkinson (UKIP), Jean Lambert (Greens) and Kevin McGrath (Labour).
During a dynamic debate, the candidates discussed issues relating to human rights protection and anti-poverty policies both inside the EU and in the EU's external relations. The candidates also set out their vision for the future of the EU as a whole.
Sarah Ludford (Liberal Democrat) stressed the importance of the EU in dealing with matters such as civil liberties and highlighted her experiences in the European Parliament of trying to uncover the truth about extraordinary renditions, and to hold those responsible to account, including the UK government.
Ralph Atkinson (UKIP) was very concerned about the effects that the EU has on non-EU countries, and spoke passionately about the effects of excessive fishing by EU member states outside the coast of certain Western African states, which he said undermined their independence and forced people into poverty. He also expressed that he thought that the EU was not an appropriate vehicle for addressing human rights abuses and global poverty, and put into question whether human activity was the real cause of climate change.
Jean Lambert (Greens) spoke about her work in the European Parliament to ensure that climate change issues were addressed adequately. She stressed the importance of future European co-operation on green issues and the importance of having counter-powers within the European Parliament to the large conservative and socialist blocs.
Kevin McGrath (Labour) told the audience that the best way of ensuring a left-leaning European Parliament was to vote for Labour. He acknowledged some of the shortcomings of the current Labour administration in the UK, but said that overall he was proud of what Labour had achieved while in power in the UK, and that Labour MEPs, with its strong pro-European stance, would be good UK representatives in the European Parliament.
More photos from the 20 May London hustings
