By Matthew Barrett
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A debate between leading Euro-realists and Europhiles is to be held in the Grand Committee Room in Westminster Hall on Monday, 5th September.
Speakers will include:
- Bill Cash MP, Chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee
- Charles Kennedy MP, former leader of the Liberal Democrats
- Charles Grant, Director of the Centre for European Reform
- Barry Legg, Chairman of the Bruges Group and former Chairman of the Treasury Select Committee
- Roland Rudd, founding Chairman of Business for New Europe
- Bernard Jenkin MP, Chairman of the Public Administration Select Committee
- Howard Wheeldon, senior strategist at BGC Partners
- Denis MacShane MP, former Europe minister
- Nick Witney, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council of Foreign Relations after having served as the first Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency in Brussels
- Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, Member of Parliament for North East Somerset
- Tim Congdon, influential UK economist and economic columnist for Standpoint
- Hugo van Randwyck, author of ‘EFTA or the EU?’
This follows on from a successful European Reform Forum in 2005, with distinguished participants from both sides of the European question, in the light of the political crisis created by the "No" votes to the European Constitution in France and the Netherlands.
The day will run from 10am to 5pm and comprises four separate sessions each, with two speakers from either side of the question, who will initially speak for eight minutes each. This will be followed by a twenty minute question and answer session, allowing for audience participation, and then the speakers will each present a 5 minute conclusion.
The planned sessions held between 10am and 5pm on Monday 5 September are as follows:
- 10am to 11.15am – Session 1: EU/UK Economy
- 11.30am to 1pm – Session 2: EU/UK Foreign Policy and Defence
- 1pm to 2pm: Lunch break
- 2pm to 3.15pm – Session 3: EU/UK Democracy and Political Institutions
- 3.30pm to 4.45pm – Session 4: EU/UK Solutions
If you wish to attend this debate, please contact Jim McConalogue at [email protected] before 12 noon on Friday 2nd September.
