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		What's Old - Archived stories from the "What's New" section [  July - December 2009  |  January - June 2009  |  July - December 2008  |  January - June 2008  ] [  July - December 2007  |  January - June 2007  |  July - December 2006  |  January - June 2006  ] [  July - December 2005  |  January - June 2005  |  July - December 2004  |  January - June 2004  ] [  July - December 2003  |  January - June 2003  |  July - December 2002  |  April - June 2002  ] Conservatives top election poll - Monday, 14 June 2004 The recent European elections have seen the Conservatives win in the East Midlands, with Roger Helmer and Chris Heaton-Harris re-elected as Conservative MEPs. Tory MEPs let EU Commission know enough is enough - Wednesday, 5 May 2004 East Midlands Conservative MEPs have finished their Strasbourg session by again raising concerns relating to the Eurostat investigation. They said that the Commission had been given a clear message by the Motion for a Resolution on Eurostat adopted on 22 April 2004. Euro-zealot has flipped, says Tory MEP - Monday, 3 May 2004 East Midlands Conservative MEP Roger Helmer has attacked the proposal by Lib-Dem MEP Bill Newton Dunn to create a new "European FBI", saying it will pass yet more powers to Brussels, yet do nothing for the security of the British people. Growing pains: EU enlargement Saturday May 1 - Thursday, 29 April 2004 On Saturday 1 May the European Union will expand from 15 to 25 members with the accession of ten more countries. These include eight countries from the former Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Czech Republic and two countries from the south, Malta and Cyprus. Letter to the Editor - E Midlands local newspapers - Wednesday, 28 April 2004 For at least a year I have been warning of the dangers of large-scale immigration following EU enlargement on May 1st. I have been accused of scare-mongering, rabble-rousing and even racism (although the immigrants concerned are white Europeans). Letter to the Editor - E Midlands local newspapers - Tuesday, 27 April 2004 As we gear up for the euro-election campaign in a few weeks, I am struck by the number of people I meet who have not previously voted in a euro-election (or perhaps don't vote at all), yet have decided to vote this time. Blair's referendum must be on the Constitution - Tuesday, 6 April 2004 East Midlands Conservative MEPs Chris Heaton-Harris and Roger Helmer have renewed their demands for a referendum on the EU Constitution, following reports in the media that the Prime Minister is planning to hold a wider poll on Britain's place in Europe. Letter to the Editor - The Independent - Tuesday, 6 April 2004 Alun Michael’s letter on horse exports (31/3) is woolly, and short on detail. It fails to reassure. Currently only the “Minimum Value Rule” protects low-value British horses from the threat of live export under potentially inhumane conditions. But this rule is under threat from EU single market provisions. Letter to the Editor - Lincolnshire Echo - Monday, 5 April 2004 The letter from Bill Newton Dunn MEP on gender equality in the insurance market (April 5th) is a desperate attempt to deflect criticism from his ill-judged support of this EU proposal, which will be very damaging for women. Car insurance rockets up for women - Tuesday, 30 March 2004 Car insurance for women will rise by up to five hundred pounds following a vote in the European Parliament today, warns East Midlands MEP Roger Helmer. Conservative MEPs voted against the plans. British horses under live export threat - Tuesday, 30 March 2004 British horses and ponies are under threat following a vote in the European Parliament today, warn East Midlands Tory MEPs Chris Heaton-Harris and Roger Helmer. The export of live horses from Britain for slaughter abroad may be resumed unless the British Government fights for an opt-out to the proposals. Letter to the Editor - Several East Midlands newspapers - Monday, 29 March 2004 The Government is telling us porkies on the EU Constitution. They say it's necessary for EU enlargement - but they're wrong. Ideally an enlarged EU would be looser and more flexible, with powers returned from Brussels to member states. MEP calls for full assessment of Milton Keynes growth plans - Wednesday, 24 March 2004 Conservative MEP Roger Helmer has written to the Government expressing his concerns at the "speedy consultation arrangements for the plans and the lack of serious environmental impact assessment that is envisaged." Local fishermen angry over EU regulations - Wednesday, 24 March 2004 East Midlands Conservative MEP Roger Helmer is to meet with local fisherman Michael Kettleboro to discuss his concerns over new EU regulations on fishing at the Ship Inn in Boston on Friday 26th March at 8.30am. Liberal Democrats' Little Yellow Book - Monday, 22 March 2004 The Conservatives have published a new compendium of the inconsistencies, duplicity and political correct lunacy that characterise today's Liberal Democrat party. Bill Newton Dunn takes offence - Monday, 22 March 2004 Bill Newton Dunn has taken exceptional offence to a paragraph about him in my recent newsletter. I present below the relevant paragraph followed by the two articles on which I based my remarks and invite you to judge for yourself whether or not I have misrepresented him. Letter to the Editor - Derby Evening Telegraph - Monday, 15 March 2004 In his letter of March 9th, Edward Spalton asks us to guess the origin of a quotation about Europe. Readers might like to spot the odd one out from the following four quotations about the proposed EU Constitution. Letter to the Editor - Derby Evening Telegraph - Monday, 15 March 2004 The letter of 10th March from Lib-Dem MEP Bill Newton Dunn is long on ridicule, short on facts. I stand by the story he describes as "scary fantasy" on the subject of possible EU controls on fishing in lakes and canals. Lib Dems latest plot to adopt EU Constitution - Friday, 12 March 2004 East Midlands Euro-MP Roger Helmer has criticised the Liberal Democrats latest plans to adopt the original text of the EU Constitution. The Liberal Democrats have launched a campaign calling for the text, yet to be agreed by the Member States, to be adopted by the European Parliament in a formal sitting if agreement is not reached by 1 May 2004. Is Tony Blair stitching up a deal over Constitution? - Wednesday, 10 March 2004 A new EU measure designed to ensure equality for men and women could end up costing the average woman in Britain an extra £100 a year - and could damage the insurance industry into the bargain. EU's double whammy for women's insurance - Tuesday, 9 March 2004 A new EU measure designed to ensure equality for men and women could end up costing the average woman in Britain an extra £100 a year - and could damage the insurance industry into the bargain. Hands off our lakes and rivers, says Euro MP - Thursday, 26 February 2004 The threatened extension of the Common Fisheries Policy to cover the UK's lakes, lochs and rivers could theoretically mean Brussels bureaucrats taking over control of fishing on Rutland Water says East Midlands Conservative MEP Roger Helmer. Letter to the Editor - Nottingham Evening Post - Thursday, 26 February 2004 The Green Party welcomes the news that the UK opt-out from the Working Time Directive is under threat following a vote in the European Parliament (letters, 20th February). EU driving licence plan must be stopped - Wednesday, 18 February 2004 The UK opt-out from the Working Time Directive is under threat following a vote in the European Parliament today. The report calls for the revision of the individual opt-out, with a view to phasing it out as soon as possible. Labour MEPs call for end to UK opt-out - Wednesday, 11 February 2004 The UK opt-out from the Working Time Directive is under threat following a vote in the European Parliament today. The report calls for the revision of the individual opt-out, with a view to phasing it out as soon as possible. Letter to the Editor - Derby Evening Telegraph - Wednesday, 11 February 2004 John Gretton (letters, 6th Feb) is just plain wrong on the issue of immigration from the EU's "accession states" - the countries of central and Eastern Europe which will be joining the EU in May. He says that five countries - Denmark, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sweden - have agreed to open their borders to immigrants from accession states from May 1st. Letter to the Editor - Nottingham Evening Post - Wednesday, 11 February 2004 Keith Ward (letters, Feb 6th) asks a reasonable question, and deserves a reasonable answer. He quotes me, correctly, as referring to EU bodies as "unaccountable foreign institutions where we have no control and little influence", and says if that is the case, what on earth am I doing in the EU parliament as an MEP? Action needed now to stop dolphin deaths says MEP - Monday, 9 February 2004 Efforts to move towards more dolphin-friendly fishing will be voted on in the European Parliament tomorrow. The proposed regulation aims to curb the accidental capture of dolphins and harbour porpoises in fishing gear as this is threatening the conservation of these species. Lib-Dem MEPs vote to Scrap UK's Security Council seat - Tuesday, 3 February 2004 In a January 29th vote in the European parliament in Strasbourg, on the Laschet report on EU-UN relations, East Midlands Lib-Dem MEP Bill Newton Dunn voted against an amendment specifically designed to protect Britain's permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. Postal ballots - Euro electoral system manipulation - Friday, 23 January 2004 The Labour Government has announced its plans to extend postal voting in the European Elections. The regions where all-postal ballots will be held are Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West, the North East and the East Midlands regions. Letter to the Editor - Nottingham Evening Post - Tuesday, 20 January 2004 Mr. Gretton (letters, 17/1) really ought to get his facts right before he commits pen to paper. He tells us that "the supremacy of EU law" provided for in the EU Constitution has "always been the case in the EU from its earliest days". Just plain wrong, Mr. Gretton. Conservative MEPs lift threat to Red Ensign - Thursday, 15 January 2004 Merchant fleets have been saved from having to display the European flag on the Red Ensign following a vote yesterday in the European Parliament. Conservative MEPs led the campaign to ensure this symbol of British naval history was not lost. Letter to the Editor - Nottingham Evening Post - Thursday, 15 January 2004 Turncoat MEP Bill Newton Dunn argues that the EU is democratic because both the EU parliament and the Council of Ministers consist of elected parliamentarians (letters, 12/1). Odd, then, that Newton Dunn is also the man who claims to have invented the phrase "democratic deficit" to describe the EU. Euro-MP slams plans for "Made in EU" labelling - Tuesday, 13 Jamuary 2004 Local Euro-MP Roger Helmer has called for the government to step in and stop a looming battery mountain. A recent decision by the European Commission to adopt a new Battery Directive will require the collection and recycling of all batteries placed on the EU market. Letter to the Editor - Nottingham Evening Post - Wednesday 7 January 2004 Peter Valentine's letter on the EU Constitution (Dec 20th) crosses the line from misleading to downright false. He must be betting we haven't read the wretched document. Well sorry, Peter. I have. Several times. Letter to the Editor - Lincolnshire Echo - Tuesday 6 January 2004 Lib-Dem MEP Bill Newton Dunn keeps wriggling on Straight Bananas (article, 29 Dec). He says there never was an EU law that requires bananas to be straight. He is playing with words. Commission Regulation EC No. 2257/94 prescribes the maximum permitted curvature of bananas. Bill Newton Dunn's questions answered - Monday, 5 January 2004 East Midlands Lib-Dem MEP Bill Newton Dunn has published "A few questions to put to Conservative MEP Roger Helmer". The pulling power of BND in the East Midlands can perhaps be judged from the fact that not a single member of the public has ever put one of these questions to me.