Plaid come top and tories shamed in euro votes survey

Research showing that Plaid Cymru Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have consistently voted for a better environment while the Conservatives have consistently voted against environmental improvements is revealed in a new interactive website launched today by Friends of the Earth.

The analysis was carried out by ahead of the European Elections on June 10 [1]. Ninety per cent of UK environmental laws result from EU agreements.

By analyzing voting records on key environmental votes over the last four years it has been possible to identify the greenest MEPs in Europe, those who have consistently voted against environmental improvements and those who have not turned up to vote on these issues [2]. The research shows that collectively UK MEPs are the worst in Europe for voting for environmental improvements [3].

The five Welsh MEPs scored as follows (in order of environmental performance [4]:

• Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru), Score 100 per cent. Euro rank: equal 1st out of 685.
• Eurig Wyn (Plaid Cymru), Score 100 per cent. Euro rank: equal 1st out of 685
• Eluned Morgan (Labour Party), Score 83 per cent. Euro rank: equal 299 out of 685
• Glenys Kinnock (Labour Party), Score 75 per cent. Euro rank equal 333 out of 685
• Jonathan Evans (Conservative), Score 14 per cent. Euro rank equal 585 out of 685

The England, Wales and Northern Ireland political parties' votes for environmental improvement were ranked as follows:

• Greens, Plaid Cymru, SDLP all 100 per cent
• Liberal Democrats 99 per cent
• Labour 70 per cent
• DUP 50 per cent
• Conservatives 13 per cent
• UUP 12 per cent
• UKIP 0 per cent

The key votes were identified by the major environmental groups within Europe. The European Union is responsible for around 90 per cent of environmental laws in the UK [5]. It has been the driving force in cleaning up Welsh drinking water, rivers and beaches. Its laws on waste are improving the safety of waste disposal facilities and leading to increased recycling. It has a huge influence at international negotiations on issues as diverse as wildlife protection, climate change and corporate accountability.

Recent research shows that over 30 per cent of UK citizens are very worried about environmental issues [6]. The environment is one of the few areas where the European Parliament has co-decision making powers with the Commission and Council of Ministers and is therefore one of the few areas where MEPs can make a significant difference.

Friends of the Earth Cymru's Campaigner Gordon James said:

Plaid Cymru MEPs have put the environment at the heart of their thinking in Europe whereas the Conservative Jonathan Evans has repeatedly failed to stand up for the environment or the people of Wales. It is good to see that Welsh Labour MEPs have performed well. We have been disappointed that they have failed to take any real stance in the debate about GM crops in Wales, but they have done well in other areas. There is still no room for Plaid Cymru to be complacent on the environment. Although they have performed excellently in this survey, there are still too many Plaid Cymru politicians demanding more roads, increased air travel and weaker protection for our most important wild places. They still have quite a way to go before we can believe that the party is totally committed to sustainable development.

Notes

[1] The website is at www.EU-votewatch.org

[2] The ten key votes were identified by, amongst-others, Friends of the Earth, WWF, Birdlife and Greenpeace. They were on: Agriculture, Air pollution, Chemicals, GM food, Liability, Nuclear power, Recycling, Renewables, Transport. Further details on the precise nature of the votes and background information is at http://www.eu-votewatch.org/.

[3] Ranking of Countries by MEPs for environmental improvements was carried out by analysing total number of votes by a country MEPs for environmental improvements against total against. The following is a list of percentage of votes for environmental improvement: Denmark (84 per cent), Sweden (81 per cent), Austria (77 per cent), Belgium (76 per cent), Netherlands (75 per cent), Finland (75 per cent), Greece (70 per cent), Spain (69 per cent), Portugal (67 per cent), France (66 per cent), Luxembourg (63 per cent), Ireland (59 per cent), Germany (57 per cent), Italy (57 per cent), UK (49 per cent).

[4] Percentage is the number of times voted positively for the environment out of the number of times voted. MEPs can miss votes for various reasons, some good and some bad.

[5] A common claim made by Euro-sceptics in the UK is that UK business are at a disadvantage because it is only the UK that properly implements EU laws and that other countries do not. A recent report by the European Commission shows that the UK has more actions against it for failure to implement EU laws than 10 other member states. Only 4 other states have a worse record than the UK. 2003 Environment Policy Review, Consolidating the environmental pillar of sustainable development, Com (2003) 745 final of 3.12.2003.

[6] European Opinion Research Group, December 2002, Eurobarometer 58.0, the attitudes of Europeans towards the environment, DG Environment. Available at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/barometer/ ¬
barometer_2003_en.pdf (PDF format)

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