Leaderless Labour MEPs block talks on US demands for International Criminal Court immunity

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 3rd Sep 2002

Socialist members of the European Parliament, a group which includes British Labour MEPs, have this week blocked an opportunity for the European Parliament to discuss American attempts at blackmailing Europe into undermining the International Criminal Court (ICC), further denting expectations that they will act to advance progressive causes.

"At a time when European governments are under pressure to cave in to US demands for bilateral "immunity agreements" to exempt US personnel from liability at the ICC for human rights breaches, it was vitally important that the European Parliament help to stiffen backbones by expressing firm support for the tribunal," said Baroness Sarah Ludford, European Liberal Democrat spokeswoman on justice & home affairs and MEP for London.

"Instead the Socialist group ensured that progressive voices would not be heard in Strasbourg this week, by withholding its support for a debate. Maybe this is linked to the fact that UK Labour Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is acting to weaken European resistance by willingness to accommodate

Washington."

"The Labour delegation of MEPs currently lacks a leader. Labour supporters may well feel this is another issue on which some leadership of principle on justice and human rights has been found lacking."