INDEPENDENCE PARTY PRESS RELEASE
Leading Euro MP Tory Struan Stevenson has torn
Conservative European policy into shreds by calling for an EU
Coastguard. A vote will take place in Strasbourg next week
which supports the establishment of an EU coastguard.
Nigel Farage, UKIP
leader said, “Like so many Conservatives he is a Eurosceptic at home,
wrapping himself in the Union Jack, but when out of sight in Brussels
he reverts to type”.
The party appears to be
confused over the issue, since Julian Brazier Tory MP has spoken out on
the subject, saying ” The plan would be a betrayal of the maritime
history of our country and the tens of thousands of men and women
currently involved in our maritime sector.”
Philip Bradbourne Tory MEP has previously said, “The UK
Conservatives are totally opposed to any attempts to establish a
European Coastguard. The British system runs well and successfully
deals with a wide range of maritime issues in British waters. … The
fact that Labour and Liberal Democrat MEPs support the demise of the
British coastal protection system demonstrates that they cannot be
trusted to support the British national interest in Europe.”
Farage continued, “Our coastguard just efficiently
co-ordinates search and rescue. The American coastguard (USCG) is a
fully fledged Navy with big ocean going ships, guns and aircraft. The
planned EU Coast Guard is on the USCG model and is the obvious start of
an EU Navy. “
“We need to give support to the
Royal Navy and our own coast guard rather than handing over more
control to the EU.”
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Additional
Reading:
The Stevenson Opinion (p 55, para 31)
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/expert/committees/reports.do?committee=2356&language=EN#
Conservative Policy Statement on the European
Coastguard
http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj_id=120008
Julian Brazier, then Shadow Shipping Minister’s
comments
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/05/21/weu21.xml
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