Liverpool Friends of Palestine Eurogroup

 

May Report (2^nd June 2009)

 

Questionnaire

 

The questionnaire, letters to candidates, fact sheets and guidelines to organisers were sent to PSC for distribution to the branches. Also sent was a chart of each Electoral Region with the relevant PSC Branches and contact details of the candidates of the major Parties with the contact details. Requests have been made to PSC for feedback from branches take up and progress reports, but no answers have been received.

 

The Eurogroup contacted certain branches directly: Durham (North East), York (Yorkshire and Humberside), Cambridge (Eastern), Exeter (South West), and West Midlands.

 

I took responsibility for distributing the information in the North West Region and Wales (where there is no PSC branch). I had to send emails twice to most candidates and also telephone many of them directly.

 

Many of the returns came in at the last minute, but generally the returns have been very poor. I contacted the Independent newspaper on the possible connection between the lack of response from candidates and apathy of the electorate, quoting some of the excuses, but there was no interest.  I also attempted to get on the Roger Phillips show on the same issue but was not called to speak.

 

The NORTH WEST REGION

 

The Liberal Democrats.  Five of the seven candidates responded, all favourably. The top two candidates ticked yes to every question. Two of the candidates did not tick the boxes but will give100% support to Lib Dem Policy on this issue. One of the candidates, though very critical of Israel did not commit herself specifically on the suspension of the agreement.

 

Labour

The European Labour Party headquarters made the decision not to fill in any questionnaires. This was stated independently by Brian Simpson’s and Arelene McCarthy’s offices. Not surprising then that we received no returns of the questionnaires. Brian Simpson said, “the reason they do not complete questionnaires or surveys is that people tend to run off to the press with them”, but because of my persistence, he sent a statement of his vague views, with material drawn from our Fact Sheet, but no commitment to act positively on the specific measures we put forward.

 

Conservative

Again no questionnaires were returned and I suspect that a similar instruction not to fill in questionnaire was given, though this was denied. Sajjad Karim’s secretary sent evidence of Karim’s support for Palestine in place of a filled in questionnaire, in spite of many repeated requests that he fills it in. Gregory Morgan claimed the questionnaire was biased, Andrew Large had not formulated his views (though we exchanged correspondence on them). Jacqueline Foster also said she does not answer questionnaires, but after further phones promised to send something before Thursday.

Robert Atkin’s office also stated he would be sending something.

 

UKIP

Sent one email response:

“ The UKIP policy clearly does not recognise the EU as a factor in the U.K’s relationship with Israel or Palestine. As a result it is pointless for me to answer the questions you have posed.

In UKIP we wish we had the answers to resolve the Middle East conflict, but we have no policy to favour either side in this long running dispute.”

 

Green Party

Peter Crainie (no1 candidate) sent 100% yes, and Ruth Bergan wrote to say she fully supported all the points.  This message was also sent, quoting the policy coordinator: “We are currently reviewing our policy on Palestine and Israel.  Based on the party’s previous policy and on what I believe to be majority opinion within the party I can see no reason not to respond positively to this questionnaire. I believe that the Green Party candidates would wish to answer yes to all the questions, and I am copying this to them just to confirm that”.

 

Jury Team. Graham Ross ticked yes to question 1a and b  but did not tick anything else. He quibbled over the difference between an act being illegal and in breach of principle and agreed that certain Israel acts in Gaza were immoral but questioned whether they were illegal. He was not prepared to pick out Israel for criticism but was prepared to learn more.

 

 

OTHER REGIONS

 

We have had responses from the following regions:

 

South West Region.  Two favourable responses. One from Lib Dems, the other from Labour.  No other responses

.

East Midlands. One favourable response from Lib Dems. No other responses.

 

North East Region.  Strongly favourable responses from Fiona Hall- Lib Dem 1 and Stephen Hughs, Labour. Also Martin Levy- No2EU- Yes2 Democracy (but the party will not be taking up seats in the European Parliament, if elected) Three favourable responses, all from Green party. Libertas expressed “no interest in Europe”. No other responses.

 

IF Stephen Hughes (LP) and Fiona Hall (LibDem) get in again, they said they would keep in touch with Durham PSC and try to work together on Palestine and counter the Israeli lobby.  They did say that they reckoned about 80% of MEPs were now fairly sympathetic to Palestine – that Gaza had swung the ‘don’t knows/don’t cares’ in the middle.

 

Eastern Region. Three very favourable responses from Greens (100% yes) and two favourable responses from  Libertas (candidates 1 and 3). No other responses.

 

 

West Midlands.  Green Party candidates, Felicity Norman, Chris Williams and Vicky Dunn – all fully supportive. Conservative candidate, Dan Dalton, cannot support a suspension of the EU-Israel Agreement, but “wary of upgraded”. Geoffrey Coady, Jury Team candidate is very supportive. Jeremy Spencer, Jury team, cannot support our position. Colin Thompson, Jury team, is broadly sympathetic, but did not comment on the specific issues.

 

London. MEP Claude Moraes (Labour) gives full support. There was 100% return from the Green party candidates, presumably supportive, but I am waiting confirmation.

 

Fulfilling the aims

The aims of the questionnaire were to inform the electorate on candidates’ views regarding EU policy towards Israel/Palestine, to educate candidates and focus their views on the issues and to challenge those views where appropriate.

Many telephone and email discussions have been made with candidates covering the issues and there will be further correspondence with them following the election.

 

Please visit www.liverpoolfriendsofpalestine.co.uk for breakdown of replies.

 

Peter Reilly