London MEP challenges Blair on EU secrecy

12.17.15pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 15th Jun 2006

Sarah protests against secretive decision making with fellow LibDem MEPs Chris Davies, Fiona Hall and Sharon Bowles.

Tony Blair travels to an EU Summit in Brussels today (Thursday) accused by Liberal Democrats of leading the fight to keep secretive EU law-making.

Proposals to make debates when Ministers discuss draft European laws open to public view have been tabled by Austria, current holder of the EU Presidency. But Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett this week justified negotiations behind closed doors as essential for efficient and effective law-making.

London's LibDem MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford has long argued that EU laws should be made in public and is backing the new efforts to secure more open decision-taking. She says:

"It's shameful that Tony Blair who claims to be a 'moderniser' in favour of more public participation should be working so hard to keep the secretive old ways."

"How can Ministers be held to account if we don't know what they say on our behalf when acting as lawmakers in Brussels? This is the way to maintain Europhobia."

"It is essential that decisions are not made behind closed doors because the House of Commons has no power to amend EU laws made jointly by Ministers and MEPs."

The scene has been set for a major row with countries like Austria and Finland, which see no reason for secretive practices, set against Britain and its French allies on the issue.