Letters
7th April 2010,
Dear Minister,
I am writing to you regarding the proposed changes to the East Coast Mainline timetable. I understand that under the “Eureka” consultation brochure recently published by the East Coast Mainline Company that a number of timetable changes between London, Stevenage, Peterborough and the North East/Scotland have been suggested.
Peterborough, as a key rail interchange for the East of England, seems particularly badly affected and as an MEP for the Eastern Region I would invite you to consider the damaging effects that such timetable changes could have. The reduction in passenger services could lead to:
• Reduced connectivity
• Increased overcrowding
• Reduced attractiveness of rail
• Increasingly poor perception of the East of England
I would be very interested to hear your views on whether the timetable changes will, by reducing the current frequency of services, have detrimental effects on commuters and businesses that use and rely on the East Coast Mainline services to and from Peterborough and Stevenage. Furthermore, what guarantees are you able to give that they will not be adversely affected by the timetable changes?
I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
Yours sincerely,
Robert Sturdy MEP
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16 October 2009
Letter to The Editor, East Anglian Daily Times:
Dear Sir
I would like to commend Zoe and Shane Murphy for reopening their second pub in Suffolk in the last three months. (EADT 15 October). This is an incredible achievement, especially during this economic downturn and at a time when The British Beer and Pub Association reports that a record 52 pubs are closing every week in Britain leading to the loss of 24,000 jobs in the past year.
As chairman of the British Beer Club in the European Parliament, I not only want to promote the best of British beer, but recognise the added value our pubs bring to our communities which are fast losing all their amenities.
Socialising over a pint in the local pub is a British tradition that we should endeavour to maintain, particularly in rural areas which may have already lost its post office and has poor transport links to neighbouring towns.
I look forward to dropping by and sharing a pint with them both.
Yours faithfully
Robert Sturdy MEP
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30 September, 2009
This letter has been sent to the Editor of The Times following an article it published yesterday about anti-dumping measures and shoe manufacturers:
Dear Sir
Your article yesterday, “Shoemakers look for protection as retailers call for change in Brussels”, highlighted how the unnecessary and protectionist measures put in place by Lord Mandelson during his time as EU Trade Commissioner could still be doing great harm to British industry. According to an analysis based on the Copenhagen Anti Dumping model, EU consumers and importers would lose by around £1.5bn over a five year period if measures continue in their current form, with only Portugal and Slovakia standing to benefit. Of this the UK will lose out to the tune of an eye watering £275m.
The measures are also harmful to consumers and have done nothing to save a declining European shoe industry. It was clear from the start that such high duties would be absorbed into the supply chain, eventually hitting the pockets of consumers, particularly those on low-incomes, at a time when they are already being hit hard by recession. During times of economic downturn, we should be lifting barriers to trade to increase trade flows and stimulate competition. These unjust measures have been in place far too long and I am keen to see an end to this debacle.
Yours faithfully
Robert Sturdy MEP
Conservative spokesman for International Trade and Vice-Chair of the International Trade Committee.
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2nd July, 2009
This letter has been sent by Robert to the Cambridge News regarding the new Conservative group in the European Parliament:
Some people will be aware that David Cameron has withdrawn the Conservatives from the EPP-ED and led the formation of a new group, the European Conservatives and Reformists, a move that has generated significant misinformation in the press.
Contrary to many reports I am proud to say that we will not be sitting with extremists, but instead we have joined with many mainstream parties from other member states who share our view that the EU should not continue down the path towards ever greater federal union but rather should respect the right of sovereign nations and their citizens. The EU must become more open, democratic and accountable, this is the mandate upon which I was elected, and this is the platform which I shall follow.
Of course, the Conservatives will carry on maintaining good ties with our former colleagues, continuing to work together in areas of mutual interest, but the new group will allow me to concentrate on our region’s economic recovery, improving growth and competitiveness, reducing red tape and making sure that the EU represents value for money for Cambridgeshire’s tax payers.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who journeyed to the polls to vote on the 4th of June. It has always been a great honour to serve the people of Cambridgeshire and I was delighted to be lucky enough to be asked to return to Brussels and Strasbourg by the electorate of the Eastern Region. I look forward to working for the people of Cambridgeshire for whom I was directly elected under the old constituency system in 1994 and for whom I shall continue to directly represent for the next five years.
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19 March, 2009. This letter by Robert has appeared in today’s Ely Standard:
I would like to thank the Ely Standard for highlighting the serious issue which retained fire-fighters face under the EU’s Working Time Directive.
As you rightly pointed out, UK-based companies can presently opt out and work longer than 48 hours which is presently permitted, but there are proposals to put an end to this, which could have a considerable impact on the provision of retained fire-fighters. It could also affect doctors who are “on-call”.
Unfortunately, Labour MEPs, including Richard Howitt who represents the Eastern Region, have voted to scrap the opt out, which 15 out of 27 member states currently use. This will mean that people can only work a maximum of 48 hours per week. Even our Labour government has supported this.
I urge local constituents to write to Gordon Brown expressing their protests and try to make him see sense on this. It should be up to individuals to decide how long they want to work. What makes this Directive particularly ridiculous is the fact that it only applies to work, and not individual workers, so it is entirely legal under the current legislation for people to have two or three jobs in the same week at up to 30 hours each.
We are living in hard times during a global recession and people will want to work extra hours to make ends meet. That is the resounding message we need to give our government, which is presently holding discussion with the European Commission on this issue.
13 March 2009. Robert has a letter in today’s Guardian:
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GLOBAL POOR MUST BE THE G20 PRIORITY
“The G20 summit has the opportunity to make it clear that short-term aid and declarations against protectionism will not be enough. The agricultural commodity markets are perhaps some of the most fluid and volatile, the developing world needs to shift its economic base swiftly. The real victims of the developed world’s trade and aid policies are the poorer nations’ entrepreneurs who find themselves incapable of developing new industries, particularly as creditors shy away, back to nations whose governments are offering guarantees. The government has thrown a huge amount of taxpayers’ money at the economic crisis in the UK with questionable results. We must ensure that if we are sending more of our money overseas, it achieves real results to help poorer nations help themselves out of the crisis.”
The Guardian, Friday 13 March 2009
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