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The votes are in! Here is who
Scotland has elected as their seven MEPs:
Elspeth Attwooll (Liberal Democrat)
Ian Hudghton (SNP)
David Martin (Labour)
John Purvis (Conservative)
Alyn Smith (SNP)
Struan Stevenson (Conservative)
Catherine Stihler (Labour)
The following are a summation of commitments
made by the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party, Scottish
Conservatives and Scottish Labour for the next EU parliament:
Scottish
Conservative and Unionist Party
- Acknowledgement of the environment largely contained in a specific
section of the manifesto instead of occurring as a common thread throughout.
- An appreciation that the well being of the environment being integral
to a healthy economy seems to be alluded to through a reference to 'enviro-economy'
making sense.
- Cautious in tone towards the environment, it reveals anxiety about
the environmental legislation and regulation that has come from Europe.
As
one of the commitments on the manifesto is to move 25% of regulations,
everyone would question how much of this would be for environmental
protection.
- Commitments on transport environmentally unfriendly.
Scottish Labour
- A great deal of information on what has been done
in the past and where other parties have failed on all counts, including
the environment.
Yet there is little on what would be done for the future.
- A strong commitment to pursue further reform on the Common Agricultural
Policy and to us the 2005 UK Presidency to pursue the Kyoto Protocol,
but little else in terms of commitments to get a handle on.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
- The environment is a dominant theme throughout the manifesto, illustrating
consistency with claimed green credentials.
- Strong on rhetoric and includes a commitment to audit all EU polices
for environmental impact and SEA on infrastructure projects.
- States that there must be equal and effective enforcement of legislation
and that "environmental targets must be realistic but also remain
ambitious.
- It is ambiguous on GM “...we will not support the growing
of GM crops in Scotland...” Is this consistent with the votes
in Scottish Parliament??
Scottish National Party
- General tone supportive of the environment – published
specific environmental manifesto. This could be seen that the environment
is
important enough
to make a separate manifesto. But leaves the question of why the environmental
manifesto is not important enough to incorporate into the main SNP
party aims.
- Protecting the environment and consumers two of the six key aims
of SNP MEPs.
- Committed to renewables within Scotland, citing
Scotland as a
potential “green power-house” for renewable energy. Also
committed to a nuclear-free Scotland.
- Fishing highest on the agenda, withdrawal from the Common Fisheries
Policy. Desires Scottish Management but no explanation on how fish
stocks would
be sustainability managed.
Thank you to all who engaged in this campaign through writing letters
or e-mails, attending hustings and most of all voting!
everyone prepared
briefings on 12 key topics in the run-up to the 2004 European Elections.
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