Local Liberal Democrat Lynne Beaumont has called for stronger action to protect NHS staff after figures were released that show a shocking amount of violence against staff.
The EU's three latest directives for opening contracts by governments and other public bodies to foreign tenders, adopted in 2014, went fully into force this week. The directives cover large parts of the €1.9 trillion paid for public procurement every year in Europe. The new rules cut red tape and make it easier and cheaper for small- and medium-sized enterprises to bid for public contracts, the Commission said in a statement. It also said that greater competition in public tenders will ensure the best value for money for public purchases and minimize corruption. Politico Morning Trade reports: https://dub129.mail.live.com/?tid=cmaVBDYewF5hGXiQAhWte7dA2&fid=flinbox
Julie Porksen, Liberal Democrats spokesman, welcomes statement "The NFU Council resolves that on the balance of existing evidence available to us at present, the interests of farmers are best served by our continuing membership of the European Union."
I have become increasingly frustrated that so many people, including journalists and UK politicians, do not seem to know how the EU actually works and who is responsible for making the decisions on legislation. Over and over again I hear that unelected bureaucrats are in charge and people endlessly talk about the democratic deficit. The reason they do that is that they have been fed this misinformation by the majority of the press and media for years. I thought it was about time to try and put the record straight. Having been both an MP and then an MEP I can genuinely say that I had more power to shape legislation as an MEP than I did as an MP even though I was a front bench spokesperson.
Protectionists from all shades of the political spectrum are living in a past that can never be recreated The Tata Steel sale has revived the battle between protectionists and free traders, a debate that became particularly acute in the run-up to the creation of the World Trade Organisation in 1995, which marked the success of "free traders" all around the world.
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed the announcement by the NFU that farmers are best served by a 'remain' vote in the EU referendum.