Tory MEP helps write report calling for greater 'European dimension' to education

The European Parliament has just approved - by a large majority - a report endorsing an enhanced "European dimension in education".  I don't know what a "European dimension" means but I don't like the sound of it - particularly now that I've discovered that Europhile Tory MEP Christopher Beazley was one of the report's authors.  A few Tory MEPs voted against the report including Chris Heaton-Harris, Syed Kamall and Martin Callanan.  The delegation as a whole was whipped into abstention but at least those three MEPs rebelled.

4.30PM NEWS UPDATE: This story gets better or do I mean worse? Despite the whip the leader of the Strasbourg/ Brussels Tories, Timothy Kirkhope voted for the Beazley motion!!  John Bowis, John Purvis, Struan Stevenson and Robert Sturdy also defied the whip.  Roger Helmer joined CHH, SK and MC in voting against the motion.  Dan Hannan and David Sumberg were absent.  All other MEPs abstained - as they were instructed.

Comments

[Sean Fear]

How I wish we'd been allowed to deselect Christopher Beazley in the 2002 hustings.

[Andrew Woodman]

I do hope the full facts of his actions are presented at his upcoming selection meetings, so he doesn't get away with giving a Eurosceptic speech at home and going native in Brussels.

[Derek]

I am very surprised that only three Conservatives voted against this. I can only assume that others were not present at the vote.

[Denis Cooper]

I suppose this would be part of Beazley's "Commitment to Europe":

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,59-2106296,00.html

alongside Labour MEP Richard Corbett and LibDem MEP Andrew Duff.

"As unabashed pro-European British Members of the European Parliament, we are acutely aware of the enormous lack of knowledge about, or indeed genuine interest in, European developments that still exists in this country."

So much so that Beazley believes that people in this country are unfit to vote on whether to join the euro, as he told the EU Parliament October 2nd 2001:

"It is absurd that in my own country .. we will be asked in a referendum to decide whether or not to join the single currency. Can you imagine our financial and economic future being discussed in public houses up and down the country?"

It's worth reading the report to get a idea of how the EU has already been probing into education. It's like dry rot, it spreads everywhere.

[Dan Hassett]

This report demonstrates why it is that the European Parliament should be scrapped. It says that a resolution on "enhancing the European Dimension" was passed in 1988, yet clause 2 "stresses the importance" of defining what that means. How did they pass the first resolution without a clear definition - that should be the starting point of any discussion!

There is nothing that the EP does that could not be done beter by another, usually more local, authority. Reading Clause 1, it almost seems to recognise that in education, saying that all children should have the skills that their educational authorities feel appropriate. That should have told them to stop and leave the matter to the education authorities. Instead they continued with 14 further clauses and a three page "explanatory statement".

[EML]

I'd like to take a look at geography and history textbooks from primary and secondary schools to see exactly what is written about the EU at the moment.

A "European dimension in education" does indeed sound a little scary.

[TimB]

Disgusting, but not as bad as the party's continuing virtual silence on the plans to give up our home affairs and justice veto.

[Andrea]

"A few Tory MEPs voted against the report including Chris Heaton-Harris, Syed Kamal and Martin Callanan. The delegation as a whole was whipped into abstention but at least those three MEPs rebelled.

How MEPs voted on Beazley report can be find here (page 6):

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/omk/sipade3?PUBREF=-//EP//NONSGML+PV+20060926+RES-RCV+DOC+PDF+V0//IT&LEVEL=2&NAV=S&L=IT

[Ben Redsell]

Since Chris Beazley is probably the most boring man on earth I doubt anyone will learn anything about a European dimension from him - they'll be asleep. I agree with Sean Fear, we should have been allowed to get rid of him.

[Andrew Woodman]

From the report Andrea posted (thanks Andrea), it looks like Roger Helmer voted against as well and most of the party abstained. It would appear the other Eurosceptics such as Dan Hannan weren't there for the vote.

[Gareth]

It does puzzle me that whilst we, as a party, are urged to bend over backwards to accommodate those on the right who feel disillusioned by DC and tempted to defect to UKIP, it is acceptable to talk quite openly about deselecting MPs and MEPs who differ with the right over Europe.

[Shaun]

It might mean something more like expanding the Erasmus scheme or developing the standing EU commitment to encouraging more education and resources for languages.

[Jon White]

Very very scary. For 'education' read 'propaganda'. I could certainly add a realistic European dimension into education - by explaining to school children how this institution has damaged Britain more than any other, destroyed the sovereignty of the (former) nation states that belong to it, (despite the meaningless promises of some in our party), and threatens more. However, I doubt that is what they mean by it.

It makes me very sad. Some may think the next comment over-reaction, and I concede that it maybe, but 'education' of children is one of the most effective ways of dictatorial states retaining control of their populations. We start by adding a 'European dimension' to education, how far then are we away from 'European Youth Groups'. The parallel with 1930's Germany cannot go unnoticed.

[Greg Lance-Watkins]

Whipped into abstention!
Yet another proof that leadership was stolen with a lie.
When you are in a hole stop digging - when you realise you are going in the wrong direction stop think and turn around - when you realise you have made a ghastly mistake apologise and put it right!
If the Tories are not going to follow the Whigs into oblivion apologise admit the mistake and bury Cameron, Maude, Clark, Beazley and their odious followers and betrayers in the hole and find a leader of stature, probity, integrity, gravitas and strength who will telee the truth and fight for these United Kingdoms and the best interests of our peoples in self determination, liberty, justice and independent sovereignty.
It is never too soon to put right a mistake and say sorry.
Regards,
Greg L-W.

[Richard Weatherill]

"It does puzzle me that whilst we, as a party, are urged to bend over backwards to accommodate those on the right who feel disillusioned by DC and tempted to defect to UKIP, it is acceptable to talk quite openly about deselecting MPs and MEPs who differ with the right over Europe."

I find this post utterly breath-taking. If the bit about "bending over backwards" were even half true, we'd have been out of the EPP-ED group months ago. The objection is to MEPs who support this sort of integrationist nonsense in the face of settled Party policy (we do still have some, don't we?), not those who "differ with the right".

For years, when British membership of the Euro was a live issue, we had to put up with an endless stream of railing against the agreed policy from the likes of Clarke and Heseltine.

[malcolm]

Don't worry Andrew Woodman, I doubt that there are many Tory activists in Eastern England who are not aware of Beazleys real views. If there are I and others will try to disabuse them of any idea that he is not a Euro Federalist.
Does anyone know how MEPs are selected? Do they have to be re-selected? Can they be deselected?

[Sean Fear]

Malcolm, last time round, in the Eastern Area selection, we had to rate the sitting MEPs First to Fourth on the List. We did not have the option to rate any of them fifth to eighth, still less, remove them from the list altogether.

Unsurprisingly, Christopher Beazley was rated 4th. Had the 3rd-rated candidate, Bashir Khanbai not blotted his copybook, then Christopher Beazeley would have lost his seat in 2004.

AFAIK, he will not be standing again in 2009.

[Andrew Woodman]

Malcolm, I would imagine the selections will be the same as before wither next year or the one after. I remember Timothy Kirkhope said something a month or two back about making it the same as MP's reselection(probably worried). With sites like this, federalists will find it very difficult to do the two hat trick now.

[Richard Weatherill]

If the selection mechanism remains the same, then all candidate CVs are subjected to an initial sift by a regional panel of senior party activists. Those that make it through this first stage are then interviewed by said panel.

The remaining dozen (or so) then go to a series of regional hustings where paid-up Part members rank them in order or preference. You then end up with an ordered slate of candidates for the region (as long as the number of seats available in that region, plus reserves).

Following the election, each party gains a number of seats in (approximate) proportion to their share of the vote. MEPs for each party are selected from the slate, starting at the top. (Generally, the first 2, 3 or 4 names for Conservatives in the English regions.)

[TomTom]

Looking at the complaints of German employers and British ones about school-leavers I tend to agree.............the EU could have a Reading, Writing, Arithmetic goal for each child at 11 to be proficient in their own language and the international number system.....................maybe they could have a Euro 11-Plus ?

[Mark Fulford]

Euractive.com carries a story MEPs want larger 'European dimension' in national education programmes which leads:

Parliament's education and culture committee highlights the importance of including EU-10 issues in the national education programmes of the EU-15, to offset any lack of information due to decades of post-war division.

So basically this is the same as the Compulsory British History at GCSE policy approved by this site - except not compulsory and on a European scale.

[Sean Fear]

Well, I'm not sure that we want children to have "by the end of their secondary education, the necessary knowledge and competences to prepare them for their roles as future EU citizens."

We're not EU citizens. We're British citizens.

[Gareth]

"The necessary knowledge and competences" seems to mean an ability to speak another European language. Surely you don't object to that Sean?

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Having just watched Blair's swan song, I was reminded at how Labour tore itself apart it the 80's - led by the militant tendency; moderates were deselected for daring to disagree with them. Do we really want to go down that path? The Conservative Party always has been a broad church - long may it stay that way!

[Geoffrey Van Orden MEP]

Many of us were concerned about the Beazley Report. I therefore abstained and submitted the following Explanation of Vote:

Explanation of vote on the Beazley Report on initiatives to complement school curricula providing appropriate support measures to include the European Dimension
(A6-0267/2006)

While I support initiatives to enhance the study of foreign languages, to improve knowledge of the culture and history of the many European countries and to stimulate genuine debate about the nature of the EU, including its many fundamental flaws, I am strongly opposed to measures designed to inculcate support for the EU Project of political integration and to construct some false identity of 'European' citizenship. The Report confuses these various aspects. I therefore abstained.

Geoffrey Van Orden MEP
26 September 2006

[malcolm]

Well done Geoffrey.At least we have one MEP here in the East that we can be proud of.

[Andrew Woodman]

That's fine Justin as long as what they say at their selection meetings is what they intend to do in Brussels. It's just about presenting the full facts to the selectors.

[Noeurope]

Deselect this fool!

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

We want our MEPs to say that will stand up for Britain's interest in Europe, not seek to grandstand and leave it.

[Don Jameson]

Our teachers can't manage to drill reading, writing, spelling and counting into their wee charges, so I wouldn't burst too many blood vessels on the odds of them succeeding with "the majesty and splendour of qualified majority voting as a device for the perfection of human happiness".

Another Euro-straw-person, I suspect.

[Mark Fulford]

Geoffrey, thank you for taking the time to post here. I agree with your letter but I would have voted against this initiative. I’m interested to know why you felt that abstention was more appropriate?

[Denis Cooper]

Gareth @ 15:24 -

"The necessary knowledge and competences" seems to mean an ability to speak another European language. Surely you don't object to that Sean?"

I can't answer for Sean, only for myself, and my answer is that I have never been asked whether I wish to be governed by the EU rather than by our elected British government, and as it happens I strongly object to being governed by the EU.

I still object to that even if on certain occasions I would not object to a particular policy if it had originated with our elected government, partly because I know that on the many other occasions when the EU imposes the wrong policies there is then nothing that we can do about it.

As Christopher Booker put it in his column on Sunday, the EU is "an inefficient and undemocratic form of government". But beyond being an incurably crap form of government, it is also foreign government, almost as much as if we were a conquered and occupied country.

It is not a government that I will ever willingly accept as being my government.

We are, as Blair said only this afternoon, "a proud sovereign nation", and I want us to resume the exercise of our national sovereignty by governing ourselves.

[Sean Fear]

I think that Geoffrey van Orden has answered for me.

[TFA Tory]

My sources say that activists will not be able to deselect Eurofanatic MEPs like Beazley. MEPs will be ranked separately. Other winnable positions, e.g. where MEPs are standing down, will be reserved for a European Priority List.

[Sean Fear]

If you are correct TFA Tory, and not simply stirring, then it would seem unlikely we would be leaving the EPP in 2009.

[David Belchamber]

"As Christopher Booker put it in his column on Sunday, the EU is "an inefficient and undemocratic form of government".

I agree with Denis @16.23 and therefore by extension with Christopher Booker. As I have said before, I accept the fundamental principles on which the EU was founded but I defy the most enthusiastic europhile to deny that the EU is (i) inefficient and (ii) undemocratic.
Until recently I had hoped that we might be able to bring some commonsense and simplicity to the administration of this now bloated socialist monstrosity by trying to reform it from within.
That surely is now impossible, so the only realistic alternative is BOO.
Is Europe on the agenda at the conference?

[Serf]

We want our MEPs to say that will stand up for Britain's interest in Europe, not seek to grandstand and leave it.

The problem is that Britain's interest is to leave it. If that is not possible, then standing up for our interests means that they should resist any move whatsoever to transfer even the smallest amount of power away from Westminster.

In the end there is not much difference.

[Serf]

We want our MEPs to say that will stand up for Britain's interest in Europe, not seek to grandstand and leave it.

The problem is that Britain's interest is to leave it. If that is not possible, then standing up for our interests means that they should resist any move whatsoever to transfer even the smallest amount of power away from Westminster.

In the end there is not much difference.

[Mr Speaker]

The problem is that Britain's interest is to leave it.

Order!!! That is a matter or opinion.

[Andrew Woodman]

Timothy Kirkhope voted for the Beazley motion!!

Will he remove the whip from himself?

[hf]

I do have reservations over the actions of people like the Bruges group in coming up with "approved" lists to interfere in our party. But with this episode of a illconceived document and now "their Leader" disobeying the whip taken together with the actions of that lady MEP whose husband defected to another party at the last GE etc etc. It is one almighty mess.

It is quite clear that someone (Hague?) needs to get in and sort out the policy and manifesto for the MEPs to ensure that they actually are committed to the same set of principles. The answer is not witch hunts and deselection drives it is instead to have a set of principles that MEPs are asked to sign up to before their names goes onto a selection list.

But who exactly owns the problem inside the party? As Kirkhope is quite clearly part of the problem.

[Andrea]

"Dan Hannan and David Sumberg were absent"

I think Caroline Jackson was absent too (I confess I immediately looked if she was among the ones in favour)

[wasp]

Will someone please explain to me what on earth makes this a story of importance.

[Cllr. Robert-j Tasker]

John Bowis is an utter disgrace quite frankily.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

R J-T, that's not fair. John is a wonderful MEP and serves our Region and Party well. As a Kingston councillor, you should know better.

[Denis Cooper]

wasp, you're right - in itself this is not very important. It's just another small brick laid in the construction of the House of Europe, among the many being laid each day. Eventually the House will near completion, and it will become obvious even to the most panglossian observer that it is in fact a prison, and we are inside it. By then, of course, it will be too late.

[Monday Clubber]

Do we really need to tolerate Eurofanatics such as this specimen Beazley?

I say he should be deselected at the first available opportunity.

We Conservatives owe it to our country.

[Monday Clubber]

"John Bowis is an utter disgrace quite frankly"

I don't like to make personal remarks about people who can't help their appearance, but Bowis really is a most unappealing-looking individual.

If he voted for this motion he should be sacked. No ifs or buts about it.

We cannot afford to tolerate Eurofanaticism among our MEPs

[Greg Lance-Watkins]

wasp asks what makes this a story of importance - well nothing if you are happy to have an undemocratic supra national utterly alien EUropean soviet implementing propaganda by way of the school carriculum in the form of decisions on rigged committees and bereft of any meaningful democracy or self determination and then forced upon these United Kingdoms by diktat where under Article 2 Section II of the 1972 ECA over 80% of Law suplanting Justice that passes through Westminster is without debate or democratic input by directly elected British politicians.
I'm with Mr. Blair in describing these United Kingdoms as proud independent and sovereign - I await his departure and honest politicians that would make his glib, platitudinous lie true!
Shame at those who surrender our independence and sovereignty unlawfully and in direct contravention of our noble Constitution and the long term well being of these United Kingdoms our peoples and our true alies to vassal status in the corrupt and profligate Franco German construct of the EU under the terms of The Treaty of Elysee.
Let us hope Kirkhope, Beazley, Cameron, Maude, Clark, Hesseltine and their ilk have severely numbered days once they are gone there will be hope of reviving the starved corpse of Conservatism drained of integrity, probity, leadership and honesty.

[UselessMEPs]

As a Yorkshire Tory activist I have to say Timothy Kirkhope is the most pathetic waste of space, followed closely by the awful Edward Macmillan-Scott. A pair of Euro enthusiasts who we never see doing anything remotely of interest to the people of my part of Yorkshire.
The only one who was any good was RObert Goodwill but he had the sense to move on to Westminster. With people like sell out Kirkhope representing us is it any wonder most of my Tory activist friends voted UKIP in the last Euro-elections!

[a-tracy]

You say your friends voted UKIP in the Euro-elections but did they even turn up to vote NO? From what I understand they're hardly ever there and rarely vote but I may be wrong.

I feel that we think we're voting for one thing with Conservative MEP's e.g protection of our nation state, in Europe but not ruled by Europe and all that but people like Justin "John is a wonderful MEP" believe they're voting for something else along more integration, agreeing with brain washing our children into full EU nationhood lines. At the next EURO elections I will ask more questions of my local Conservative Candidates before I decide.

[Adrian Owens]

Can anyone help me? I've looked for a website that easily and clearly shows MEPs voting records but I've failed dismally.

Andrea in particular seems to know where to look, but can anyone signpost me to a website where I can scrutinise the voting records of our MEPs on the whole range of debates?

Thanks in anticipation.

[Andrea]

The UK MEPs vote's breakdown was the following:

Con: 12 abstained, 3 against and 6 in favour. McMillan-Scott, Chicester, Sumberg, Hannan and Jackson were absent

Labour: 13 absent (probably at the conference), 6 in favour (McAvan, Martin, Hughes, Simpson, Sthiler and Willmott)

Libdem: all 12 present and in favour

Greens: both Lambert and Lucas in favour

Nats: the 2 SNP MEPs and the Plaid woman were in favour

UKIP: 6 against, 4 absent (Batten, Bloom, Knapman and Nattrass)

Helmer, Kilroy and More voted against

UUP (Jim Nicholson) abstained. Allister (DUP) voted against. Sinn Fein's Barbrie De Brun voted in favour.

I hope I didn't get any wrong (because the Euro-Parliament vote listing is not so easy for the eyes!)

[a-tracy]

Thanks Andrea I don't agree with abstentions its just a cop out. Why do we precipitate this need to learn foreign languages, the best thing that could happen is if the European languages reduced in number as they decided in China so long ago when I read they concentrated on Mandarin to improve communication.

This just shows how much control of Europe the French and Germans have, or will English and Scottish children be forced to learn Welsh as its our closest European neighbour with a primary language. Do you think if Germany had won the wars we'd be speaking German by now?

[michael mcgough]

If there must be an EU dimension let it start in the Maths lesson with a bit of Economics thrown in.Even the less able ,if given the true facts about the costs and benefits of membership would surely conclude we'd be better off out.

[Opinicus]

So what action is kirkhope going to take against himself for defying his whip?

[Matt Davis]

Why does it seem to be exactly the same people who sniped & briefed both Hague and IDS into destruction who now seem to think that no-one ought to criticise their golden boy? Isn't this just hypocrisy as always from the europhile wet element of the party?

[Julian Williams]

Gareth wrote: "It does puzzle me that whilst we, as a party, are urged to bend over backwards to accommodate those on the right who feel disillusioned by DC and tempted to defect to UKIP, it is acceptable to talk quite openly about deselecting MPs and MEPs who differ with the right over Europe."

Can you explain to me why it is considered "right wing" to oppose the EU, surely to oppose centralised, undemocratic corrupt ruling elites that actively use our taxes to provide propaganda to our children in their schools is to oppose totalitarian tendances and promote liberal democratic values? How do you square liberal democratic ethics with an active co-operation with the EU? I cannot.

[michael mcgough]

Reading yesterday's press release from David Davis on immigration controls for the new EU accession countries it is clear that both the Tories and Labour need educating on the EU dimension to immigration control.

[hf]

At the last GE our manifesto said "Conservatives support the cause of reform in Europe and we will co-operate with all those who wish to see the EU evolve in a more flexible, liberal and decentralised direction."

This report and its support from Kirkhope are clearly incompatible with the spirit of that statement. Decentralised means LESS central direction from Europe NOT more.

What is William Hague going to do about it? I have marked him down on the survey to fairly dissatisfied, it will be very dissatisfied next time and I am not in the Cornerstone/Briges/TFA camp!

[Mark Fulford]

In the context of the Conservative Party I am a Europhile – meaning that I think that the EU is relevant and worth fighting for, but without doubt it needs reigning-in.

Our MEPs must stick to the manifesto, must fight to reduce EU powers and must resist creeping powers like this proposal. If they do not, making the case for the EU becomes impossible. Perhaps that’s the secret plan.

[Stan]

The funny thing about the whole issue is that Beazley's press release was centred around the fact that UKIP voted against it ("Conservatives slam UKIP as the "UK ignorance party" for voting against better foreign language and history teaching in our schools"), although the Tory whip was to abstain!

One of the few places where the EU has not yet taken hold has always been education, but even here the notion of 'ever closer union' seems to be coming through and the Tories didn't vote against it!

[Duncan]

Councillor Tasker- your comments about John Bowis MEP are the disgrace.

John is a very dedicated and hard-working MEP who is unquestionably one of the most industrious of the Conservative delegation. He is very effectivein his public health campaigns such as diabetes, mental illness etc which whatever one thinks of the EU should surely be in everyones interests to support. He was also an immensely popular local MP in Battersea and an effective Government minister.

When you have achieved half as much as John has in his career, perhaps then you can start making such unjustified and outrageous remarks.

[michael mcgough]

"The funny thing about the whole issue is that Beazley's press release was centred around the fact that UKIP voted against it ("Conservatives slam UKIP as the "UK ignorance party" for voting against better foreign language and history teaching in our schools"), although the Tory whip was to abstain!"

He should acquaint himself with UKIP's new education policy before revealing his own ignorance.

[ukout]

quote: "It might mean something more like expanding the Erasmus scheme or developing the standing EU commitment to encouraging more education and resources for languages."

The naivity is almost charming!

The truth is that the European Commission has well advanced plans for a "European Quality Assurance Agency" that will take absolute control of all sectors of education (nursery to postgraduate) across all countries of the EU. They are using their well-practiced arts of seizing power through regulation (already fully operational in most other areas of government such as environment, employment law, health and safety, etc. etc.)

[Andrew]

Thanks to Duncan and Justin for talking some sense! There are many more important issues on the agenda of the European Parliament this week - like Turkey and Air Pollution controls - than a non-legislative report calling for more foreign language education in our schools (which of course there should be!)

[michael mcgough]

John who? Am I alone in never before having heard of "whip busting" Bowis.But then I hadn't realised that diabetes and mental health issues were EU competences.

[UKfirst]

Nearly everything is now an EU "competence". I am puzzled that there is anything worth discussing at the conference next week with "Europe" off the agenda.

[Richard]

The Eurofanatics are not only out of touch with the Conservative Party but with the country as a whole. While the public isn't too keen on EU withdrawal it doesn't like the idea of greater EU integration either. Every opinion poll on the matter shows consistent Euroscepticism.

"a non-legislative report calling for more foreign language education in our schools (which of course there should be!)"

Who are you (or the EU) to dictate what our children should learn?

[Peter]

Lets not get personnel but we do need to get the selection process back to what is was for candidates going for getting elected in 1999. The difference being 11 options for the 7 places for the south west region rather than only 5 for the top 5 that we had to put up with in 2004. If Cameron does the above it will show again it may not have been a bad thing he got to be leader?

[Gareth]

All your pathetic comments just show why the Conservatives will never win a general election until they drop this anti-European rubbish. People like you don't deserve to profit from the benefits of the diversity of Europe; if you hate it so much, go to the USA. Britain is European, I'm proud to be British and European. I also know that Chris Beazley is an honest, hard-working MEP who has given so much to the Tories way before most of you quasi-racist losers were born. You odious fools are no Conservatives.