'Fresh Start Project' publishes goal of new UK-EU relationship

By Tim Montgomerie
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On the 12th September more than one hundred Tory MPs met for the first ever meeting of the Fresh Start Project. The launch meeting of that new Eurosceptic grouping was reported at the time by Anthony Browne. Two Labour MPs have now agreed to caucus with the group - Frank Field and Gisela Stuart.

The Fresh Start Project's mission has been sent to ConHome: 

"UK citizens want co-operation and free commerce with our EU partners, but a majority believes that too much power has been transferred to the EU; in areas ranging from policing to employment law, from Health and Safety to petty regulation, our citizens want more control over their own lives.

The euro-zone crisis threatens to overturn the historic agreement that tax and spending are the sole responsibility of national governments. This makes the time ripe for a new relationship with our EU partners, in which the UK can take more decisions and Brussels fewer; this would be in line with the basic principle that the authority to pass laws should be democratically accountable to those who are affected by them.

MPs across all parties are determined to work together to:

1. examine the options for a new UK-EU relationship that would better serve the interests of UK citizens
2. examine the options for a new UK-EU relationship that would better serve the interests of UK citizens
3. set out what this new relationship could look like and
4. establish a process for achieving the change."

DURING THE PARTY CONFERENCE WE PUBLISHED THIS SHORT ESSAY FROM GEORGE EUSTICE MP ABOUT THE FRESH START PROJECT'S AIMS:

"Today, Europe is an issue that unites Conservatives rather than one which divides us."

"At times of crisis, the future belongs to those with both a viable plan and the political will to press for that plan to be adopted.  Now that the EU’s flagship policy, the euro, is in crisis it is a time for Britain to show leadership in Europe and to demonstrate what the EU should be for in the 21st century.  It is not a time to try to avoid discussion.

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