MEP promotes life-saving telephone number

As schools across the region head towards the half-term holiday and families search for some early summer sunshine, Yorkshire and Humber Liberal Democrat MEP Edward McMillan-Scott is calling on all those travelling in Europe to make sure they know how to contact the emergency services while away from home. Read more...

Edward addresses High Representative Catherine Ashton on democracy in Russia in light of the presidential elections on 4 March: watch here

At a Brussels meeting concluding on 27 January of the newly-elected Bureau of the European Parliament (Vice-Presidents), chaired by its President - German socialist Martin Schulz (R) - Edward once again received the portfolio for Democracy and Human Rights as well as gaining the Sakharov Network, which underpins the parliament's annual prize for freedom of expression.

Also, Edward - re-elected Vice-President for the fourth time on 18 January - gained responsibility for transatlantic relations. In addition he will chair Question Time: "I am delighted with these key portfolios, especially the recognition of my work in human rights and democracy." said Edward.

Commenting on the resignation as MEP of his Yorkshire colleague Diana Wallis, Edward said "I send my best wishes to Diana and her family and pay tribute to her outstanding contribution as an MEP."

Cold calling in Leeds!

Edward McMillan-Scott MEP (Yorkshire & Humber, R) joined Cllr Jamie Mathews (2nd from R) and other Liberal Democrats to canvass parts of Headingley on a cold and windy Saturday, 21 January: "Whatever the weather, Liberal Democrats are out to win in May's local elections." said Edward.

Edward McMillan-Scott retains his position as a Vice-President of the European Parliament

During a week of internal elections at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, a Yorkshire & The Humber Liberal Democrat MEP retains his leading position as a Vice-President.  Mr McMillan-Scott - a Yorkshire MEP since 1984 - said:

"As the only Briton on the European Parliament's influential ruling body, the Bureau - responsible for its management, organisation and finances - I now have privileged access to the right people at the right time on behalf of my constituents. I recognise the need to explain better what we do and why we do, and I will continue my Single Seat campaign to focus all our activities in Brussels and not Strasbourg."

McMillan-Scott expects to retain his portfolio for democracy and human rights until he next European elections in June 2014. Read the full press release...

The EU must support early presidential elections in Egypt 

The behaviour of the Egyptian security forces has gone from bad to worse over recent months to the extent that they have now betrayed the democratic revolution itself. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) demonstrated by its threats at its latest press conference that it is not capable to rule the country in a democratic way. ALDE therefore supports the demand of the Egyptian opposition to organise presidential elections as soon as possible and request that the EU and its Member States back this demand. Read the full press release... 


 Edward warns about Egypt polls: meets harassed candidate

Ms Bothaina Kamel (left), the only female candidate for president of Egypt was arrested on 20 December in Tahrir Square by Central Security Forces and released two hours later, amidst the turmoil and the loss of life and the many injuries on Tahrir over that weekend. On 16 December she visited Strasbourg and met Edward McMillan-Scott: she said "the army is killing the revolution". 

In an email to MEPs on 21 December Edward wrote "On 28 November Egypt starts the first round of parliamentary elections. There will be no EU observers. I fear that these elections will not be like the free and fair elections on 23 October in Tunisia for a constituent assembly.  Read the full email...

Verhofstadt message to Egypt's military : enough is enough

On 19 November the security forces used unnecessary violence to clear Tahrir Square. Some thousands of demonstrators were still sleeping when police started to knock down their tents and beat people. They turned a peaceful demonstration into a violent clash which injured a thousand people and killed two. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces said today that it will handover its power to civilian rule by the end of 2012, if the chaos ends. This is totally unacceptable, certainly from an institution that claims it wants to install democracy. Read the full press release... 

Russia's autocracy is dangerous to itself and the world

The autocracy ruling Russia is dangerous to the Russian people, its neighbours in Europe and to the world, Edward McMillan-Scott told a conference in Helsinki on 10 November. Speaking alongside ALDE group leader Guy Verhofstadt and Russian reformists Lyudmila Alekseeva (left) and Sergei Kovalyev, Edward backed calls for "Helsinki 2.0" - recalling the process begun in 1975 which re-engaged the USSR in discussions on reform and human rights. Full event details and conslusions...

Palestine: Israel's retaliation 'losing it' says leading MEP

Edward is given a UN 'seat' by campaigners in Palestine

After Unesco's vote on 31 October to admit Palestine, the strength of Israel's retaliation will lose further international support in advance of the Security Council vote on 11 November, Mr Edward McMillan-Scott, Vice-President of the European Parliament for democracy and human rights, told a Tel Aviv conference on the subject on 2 November. Read more...

Human Rights in China: At what cost?

The international community cannot continue to ignore the worsening human rights situation in China. China’s economic success is based on totalitarian tactics which  many ignore, but I cannot because it is my job to record them and because people are in prison today in China because they had contact with me. Read more...

An ambitious human rights strategy needs to be delivered by Ashton

The third meeting of the EP-HRDN “Friends of Human Rights and Democracy Group” took place in the European Parliament on Tuesday, 18 October 2011. The group, which aims to assess and strengthen the European Parliament's work as the watchdog on human rights and democracy, used the meeting to discuss the forthcoming, and overdue, new EU human rights strategy and unanimously agreed on the need for an “ambitious” strategy that would “make the strongest EU statement so far on human rights in terms of purpose, EU policy and EU commitment”. Read more...
 

Tunisia should get more than a 'privileged partnership' with the EU 

Speaking in Tunis at a press conference ahead of Tunisia's first democratic elections on 23 October, Edward McMillan-Scott - seen here with Liberal group leader Guy Verhofstadt (left) - underlined that Tunisia deserved more than the 'privileged partnership' with the EU enjoyed by unreformed countries like Morocco. Read more...

Egypt is backtracking on democratic revolution

Yesterday evening a peaceful demonstration of Copts turned into a massacre by the army, leaving 24 people dead and countless more injured. The ALDE Group strongly condemns this deplorable reaction from the Egyptian Army. Read more...

Members of the European Parliament appeal for young activist blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad

Click here to read the letter co-signed by Edward McMillan-Scott and ten other MEPs appealing to the Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Essam Sharaf.

Ending Egypt's emergency law a precondition for democratic elections

Today, September 30, according to the Egyptian constitution the emergency law - in force for 35 years - should end. The law allows Egypt's interim government - the Supreme Council of Armed Forces - to restrict the freedom of assembly and the freedom of media. In order to maintain order, the emergency law also enables the armed forces to arrest people and detain and sentence them in military courts. Read more... 

Single Seat for the European Parliament: Countdown for change

Following a year of internal research and studies by the cross-party informal Brussels-Strasbourg Seat Study Group, its Chairman has today announced new initiatives to urge governments to allow MEPs to decide how to end the controversial two-seat arrangement. Read more... 

Edward briefed on Libya and Tunisia

Edward took the opportunity of a short holiday in Tunisia to get himself briefed on the unfolding drama in neighbouring Libya - as well as the prospects for the polls in Tunisia.

Here, he is pictured on August 17 with Mariem Hedhili, international secretary of the Tunisian Liberal Party after a briefing by the head of the EU's Libya and Tunisia Mission, Adrianus Koetsenruijter. In October, Tunisians will elect a constitutional convention to prepare parliamentary and presidential elections.

Edward's anniversary appeal for release of Gao Zhisheng

Edward has replied to a passionate letter from the wife of Beijing human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, arrested on August 15 2006 after his contact with the MEP. He urged EU leaders to continue to press for Gao's overdue release.

On his last visit to Beijing in May 2006 Edward met former prisoners of conscience whom Gao had defended . Supporters of the MEP gave him the name-seal on the right, which reads 'Will, Morality'.

Geng He, now in New York with her two children, wrote to Edward in July recalling the spirit of her Christian husband (left), who was imprisoned for five years and tortured. He was due for release on August 14 but disappeared in April 2010: "I would like to send you my most sincere appreciation for your continuous attention and appeal for Gao. It always warms our heart when we think of what you have done for our family." Read more...

Read the interview with Geng He - and Bob Fu, who organised her escape from China - by Zhang Min, hostess of the talk show “Journey of the Soul” from Radio Free Asia. August 13, 2011.

Brussels/Strasbourg: MEPs CALL ON FRANCE TO COME CLEAN ON ECJ CASE

As the European Parliament closed for the summer break, more than 100 MEPs jointly signed a request to the French government to publish its pleading in a closed court case against their decision to cut the time spent in Strasbourg. At the same time, an absolute majority of MEPs, 373-285, have expressed their wish for a single seat. Read more...

Release of Ai Weiwei and Hu Jia reveals cruelty of Chinese regime

The release of two of his Chinese contacts, artist Ai Weiwei (left, with Edward at the November 2010 launch of his Sunflower Seeds exhibit at London's Tate Modern) and environmentalist Hu Jia, in advance of the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the UK and other European countries is not a sign of change in China but a reminder of the massive scale of human rights abuses committed by a cruel regime, a UK Vice-President of the European Parliament has warned. Read more...

Wen Jiabao's smile shields cruelty

When David Cameron shakes the hand of Chinese premier Wen Jiabao, he shakes the hand of a man who rules the world's largest remaining tyranny. Although two of my reformist contacts in China were released from prison in the last few days, these gestures cannot disguise a brutal reality. Read more...

Edward: Why the EU should have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council

The European Union's efforts to unify its foreign policy are foundering. Despite the protests of her critics, the fault of this does not rest squarely on foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. Read more...

MOSCOW: Liberals sense Arab Spring in Russia

As the Arab Spring turns to summer, Europe's leading pro-democracy activists also focus on Russia, where key elections are to be held soon.

Mikhail Kasyanov, leader of the liberal People's Freedom Party, said this week that the Russian people were fully aware of the dire state of democracy in Europe's largest country and watched with some envy the situation in Egypt and Tunisia. His party is still awaiting formal registation. Read more...

MEPs vow to take on France over Strasbourg seat: top law firm offers pro bono support

A cross-party group of MEPs campaigning to end the European Parliament's controversial two-seat arrangement has said it will oppose attempts by the French government to overturn the Parliament's recent decision to reduce the number of times Members and officials have to travel to Strasbourg every year and a major international law firm has offered them its professional support.

The French government announced on 18 May that it had filed an official complaint with the European Court of Justice against the decision by the European Parliament, taken on 9 March and approved by 357 votes in favour of the move, with 253 against and 40 abstentions, to hold two full parliamentary sessions during the same October week in 2012 and 2013. Read more...

Human Rights: President Buzek praises Edward as 'tireless campaigner' at Amnesty International's 50th anniversary

Celebrating Amnesty International’s 50th anniversary with a debate and exhibition of posters in the European Parliament in Brussels, Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, thanked Edward McMillan-Scott, Vice President responsible for democracy and human rights, as a 'tireless campaigner' on human rights.

Later, Heidi Hautala, Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Salil Shetty, Secretary General, Amnesty International and Nicolas Beger, Director, EU Institutions, Amnesty International, today praised the progress that human rights has made in the world over the last 50 years, but warned that injustices remain and the EU must work to make the Universal Declaration of Human Rights a living reality for all. Read more...

Liberals call on Ashton to increase pressure on the Chinese authorities

Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE group leader) and Edward McMillan-Scott (Lib Dem, UK) today called on Catherine Ashton, the EU foreign policy chief, to address ongoing violations of human rights in China - particularly the treatment of political dissidents - when she meets with China's foreign policy advisor, Dai Bingguo, at the EU-China high-level strategic dialogue in Budapest today [Thursday 12 May]. Read more...

Ashton must take action on Syria immediately

As Syrian tanks and troops move into the town of Banyias to suppress the freedom protest movement with military force Liberals and Democrats have been participating in the first European/Arab Liberal Conference in Cairo on 5th to 7th May. At the conference liberals from all over the Arab world were present including representatives of parties that were involved in several revolutions and representatives from countries where demonstrations are still ongoing. Among the many topics discussed has been the worrying situation in Syria. Read more...

Arab Spring: EU must support reformists

On his third visit in as many months to Cairo, Mr Edward McMillan-Scott MEP (LibDem, UK), the European Parliament Vice-President for democracy and human rights, backed UK foreign secretary William Hague's call that without support from the European Union the fragile democratic movements across the Arab world risked collapsing. Read more...

Yes to AV: Are we voting for a better democracy or simply ignoring the real problems?

AS summer approaches and the weather heats up, so too does the AV referendum. It is personal. The debate is not so much about the issue on the ballot paper, but the effect on the coalition. From what I understand, the Clegg-Cameron relationship works well, but the two parties are discovering more about each other and sometimes they do not like what they find. Read more...

China: Senior MEP calls on Ashton to speak out on the anniversary of the disappearance of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng

Mr Edward McMillan-Scott (LibDem, UK), Vice-President of the European Parliament responsible for democracy and human rights, has called on the EU's foreign policy chief Baroness Cathy Ashton in an open letter today, to make a public statement on the case of Gao Zhisheng, the human rights defender and lawyer who is one of the MEPs' Beijing contacts, and has not been seen since 20 April 2010. Read more...

MEPs launch debate on alternatives for Strasbourg

An EU-wide debate on alternative uses for the European Parliament's buildings in Strasbourg was launched last night by a cross-party group of MEPs after a vote in March to cut their meetings in the Alsatian city. The French government contests the vote, and declared it did not care what MEPs felt, as the arrangement was in the EU treaty. In parallel, the Luxembourg premier, Jean-Claude Juncker said this week that he didn't care that ministers complained about having to alternate meetings between Brussels and his city as it is "fixed in the Treaty". Read more...

Arab spring: is Brussels ignoring its own MEPs' recommendations

For a comparison of resolutions on Tunisia, Egypt and Libya and the resulting EU blueprint click here

CHINA: Liberal group gets emergency debate on detained artist, Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei, who is best known for creating the current sunflower seed installation in London's Tate Modern and Beijing's Bird's Nest Olympic stadium, was detained in Beijing yesterday [Sunday 3 April, 2011] and remains unreachable since being held by Chinese authorities at the capital's airport. Read more...

China: Liberals call for release of Ai Weiwei

“MEPs should consider suspending the EU’s so-called human rights dialogue with China. In the 14 years of its existence it has yielded no tangible results and it provides a fig-leaf for the most arbitrary, brutal and murderous regime in world history. I led the calls for the dialogue to be set up, now I want it dismantled.” said McMillan-Scott, author of the 1996 report to MEPs on a “EU-China Strategy” which created the dialogue. Read more...

LIBYA: Arm the "rebels" says senior MEP

Repeating his weekend call on Al Jazeera English’s flagship programme, Frost Over the World (watch here), Edward McMillan-Scott, (LibDem, UK) Vice President of the European Parliament responsible for democracy and human rights, calls for the arming of Libyan reformists. As Gaddafi’s forces continue to clash with “rebels”, it has become increasingly clear to the international community that Libya’s revolution cannot succeed without additional materiel. Read more...

Edward: "We still have no coherent EU Strategy on the Middle East revolutions"

The EU is sending completely the wrong signal to people involved in a historic protest against the tyrants of the wider Middle East. Europe's links with these regimes were unprincipled in the past. Now is the time to address the concerns of the democratic rulers of the future.

Robert Cooper is an experienced diplomat. He should know better and he should immediately retract his remarks and Baroness Ashton should organize a retraction of the Council Conclusions of the day before. Read more...

Bahrain: EU policy causes "profound dismay" to new rights group

Edward McMillan-Scott (LibDem, UK), Vice-President responsible for Democracy and Human Rights, together with the Brussels-based Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN), comprised of 43 NGOs, has launched the EP-HRDN “Friends of Human Rights and Democracy Group”. Read more...

 Elections for Tibetan Government in exile a stark contrast to Chinese suppression of dissent

About 85,000 Tibetans around the world voted yesterday for a new leader and members of parliament to take up the resistance against Chinese rule over their Himalayan homeland.

Edward McMillan-Scott (LibDem, UK), Vice-President of the European Parliament for Democracy and Human Rights, and Ms Kristiina Ojuland MEP (Reform Party, Estonia), who jointly organised an ALDE conference on the future of Tibet on the eve of the poll, said that the Tibetan election was significant because the vote took place days after His Holiness the Dalai Lama announced his retirement as the political head of the Central Tibetan Administration (formerly referred to as the Tibetan government-in-exile). Read more...

 ARAB SPRING: FEEBLE EU RESPONSE SAYS SENIOR MEP

The outcome of the emergency EU summit on Libya and the wider Arab world in Brussels today was condemned as feeble by Edward McMillan-Scott, the European Parliament’s vice-president for democracy and human rights, who has twice visited the region in the last month:

“The EU has failed to recognise the Libyan reformists, failed to identify ways to encourage a genuine democracy in Egypt and failed to provide any motivation to the millions demanding reform who have been on the streets after prayers across the Arab world today. Read more...

Brussels - Strasbourg: MEPs vote by overwhelming majority to cut Strasbourg sessions

After a dramatic intervention (watch here) by Edward McMilllan-Scott, Vice-President for Democracy and Human Rights today (March 9th) the European Parliament voted to cut one of its monthly week-long sessions in Strasbourg in 2012 and 2013, instead combining two October sessions in a single week.

After an attempt by pro-Strasbourg campaigners to hold the votes after a formal speech by the President of Hungary, McMillan-Scott insisted that the vote to decide that the calendar should be held immediately as indicated on the voting lists, distributed to the groups. This was backed almost unanimously by MEPs in a show of hands, who cheered as the acting President decided to change the order of the votes. Read more...

Egypt: Early polls cannot be free or fair, says senior MEP

Reports that the acting government of Egypt plans to hold a referendum on the new constitution on March 19th with Parliamentary elections in June and a presidential poll six weeks later, would be very premature, said a senior MEP, following his second visit to Cairo in a fortnight.

Mr. Edward McMillan-Scott (Yorkshire and the Humber, UK, Lib Dem), European Parliament Vice-President for Democracy and Human Rights who visited Cairo with Liberal group leader Guy Verhofstadt on 26 and 27 February. Read here...

Arab Spring: Senior MEP to propose Arab Democracy Fund

On his second visit in as many weeks to Cairo, Mr Edward McMillan-Scott MEP (LibDem, Yorkshire & Humber, UK), the European Parliament Vice-President for democracy and human rights, said the EU was not responding enough to the ‘peoples’ revolution’:

“Egypt is the most important country in the region and it has chosen democracy. What happens there now is emblematic for neighbours like Libya and beyond. In the last two weeks I have been pressing Brussels for an ambitious response. This is a big test for the EU: I am not impressed so far. Read more...

Egypt: Cairo visit MEP urges Cameron to freeze assets

Mr. Edward McMillan-Scott MEP (LibDem, Yorkshire, UK) Vice-President of the European Parliament for democracy and human rights, who spent the weekend after Mubarak’s overthrow in Cairo, today praised British Prime Minister David Cameron’s own visit to the Egyptian capital.

"David Cameron made the right decision to add Cairo onto his planned tour of the Middle East. He will have found, as I did last week, that what is on most Egyptians’ lips, apart from the clamour for reform, is a demand for an asset freeze of Mubarak and his cronies. Most people I met believe that the former dictator has stashed between $40-70 billion, much of it in London. Cameron should give the lead to the EU by announcing an immediate asset freeze and urging other EU governments to do the same" Read more...

EGYPT: AFTER CAIRO VISIT, SENIOR MEP SAYS "CATHY SPEAK YOUR MIND"

Mr Edward McMillan-Scott, the European Parliament Vice-President for democracy and human rights - who spent last weekend in Cairo meeting opposition leaders and EU diplomats - has called on the EU's foreign policy chief Cathy Ashton to speak her mind on the spreading reform movements across the Arab world.

As MEPs prepare to debate the situation in Egypt, Tunisia and beyond in Strasbourg today [Weds Feb 16] McMillan-Scott said the exceptional circumstances demanded a clear voice from Europe, not one mediated through 27 foreign ministries:

"The people's revolution in Egypt cost hundreds of lives, but as I left Tahrir Square on Monday morning it was empty, the demonstrators being convinced that it had succeeded. Elsewhere, demonstrations from Benghazi to Bahrain and from Tehran to Sanaa against corrupt and brutal regimes should be unequivocally supported by the democratic world. It is to Europe's shame that we stood by for so long. Read more...

MEPs call for big money to help Egypt's transition

You can watch Edward with ALDE group leader Guy Verhofstadt discussing the situation in Egypt at the ALDE press conference in Strasbourg here.

Edward in Cairo: "Revolution can succeed"

Dear colleagues,

This weekend, I visited Egypt informally as Vice-President for Democracy and Human Rights. It was a privilege to be in Cairo to celebrate the new freedoms won on Friday by the people's revolution, and to discuss the way forward and the role the EU could play.

I met demonstrators, opposition leaders and EU diplomats and concluded that the resignation of Mubarak on Friday evening is expected to lead to a democratic future, even if the army's interests need to be protected in the transition. Read letter here and see my YouTube report here.

Senior MEP in Cairo to assess situation at first hand

Edward McMillan-Scott (LibDem, UK), Vice-President of the European Parliament responsible for democracy and founder of the European Union’s €160m democracy and human rights instrument, is currently in Egypt’s capital Cairo to assess the situation at first hand. Read more...

SENIOR MEP CALLS ON EGYPT TO TAKE THE LEAD ON DEMOCRACY IN THE ARAB WORLD

Mr Edward McMillan-Scott, European Parliament Vice-President for democracy and human rights, said:

"Now Egypt can assume a more benign leadership of the Arab world, in democracy and human rights. Mubarak's tyranny was typical across the region and it is Europe's shame that we sustained them. The future for the region is fairness, freedom and hope. Yalla!" Read more...

BREAKING NEWS: 10 February 2011 - Brussels-Strasbourg: studies show MEPs want to decide where they meet

New research shows that more MEPs and their staff than ever before - some 90 per cent - find the monthly trek between Brussels and Strasbourg intolerable. They say it is wasteful, undermines parliament's effectiveness and is bad for the environment and their health.

Mr Edward McMillan-Scott (ALDE, UK) European Parliament Vice-President responsible for democracy and human rights, called today at a Brussels Press conference [10 February 2011] for MEPs to be given the right to decide where parliament meets. Read more...

"WINDS OF CHANGE BLOWING THROUGH N. AFRICA"

Hopes for reform in the Arab world have been raised by regime change in Tunisia and the uprising in Egypt, but the EU should encourage the process more actively, said Edward McMillan-Scott, a European Parliament (EP) Vice-President who founded the EU’s democracy and human rights initiative: "The winds of change are blowing through North Africa."

McMillan-Scott - (pictured left at a Cairo press conference with Dr Ayman Nour after he secured the opposition leader's release from prison in March 2005) – a long-term campaigner for reform in the Arab world and a distant cousin of T E Lawrence (of Arabia) - has written to EP President Jerzy Buzek suggesting a mission to Egypt similar to that which is being organised to Tunisia, after Buzek himself issued a statement which encouraged reform. Read more...

"EUROPE AND THE US MUST SECURE GAO ZHISHENG'S IMMEDIATE RELEASE" DEMANDS SENIOR EUROPEAN POLITICIAN

The European Parliament Vice-President for democracy and human rights has called upon President Obama and met Baroness Cathy Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief to raise the case of missing Christian human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng (left) and demand his immediate release. Read here...

FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER: CAMERON EU ALLIES 'NUTTY'

A LibDem minister at the Foreign Office has described David Cameron's EU allies as 'nutty'. and an embarrassment to the Conservative Party.

Speaking to an undercover reporter from the Daily Telegraph, Jeremy Browne made the comments which reflect Nick Clegg's 'bunch of nutters' jibe at Cameron during the Leaders TV Debate.

Edward McMillan-Scott, whose objection to the new alliance led to his split with the Conservative Party, comments: "Nutty is too mild a term for some of the people Cameron has teamed up with. Leaving Europe's centre-right mainstream to team up with powerless individuals, some with extremist backgrounds, was a deeply unpatriotic act."

NOBEL: SENIOR MEPS PRAISE EUROPEAN UNITY

Speaking in Oslo, where they were attending the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony [10 October 2010], the European Parliament Vice-President for Democracy and Human Rights, Mr. Edward McMillan-Scott (left, in Beijing on his last visit) and Ms. Heidi Hautala, Chair of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights, praised the unity shown by the EU nations, all of whom were represented; Read more...

CHINA: CAMERON SHOULD FOLLOW THATCHER ON RIGHTS SAYS MEP

Britain's premier David Cameron should follow Margaret Thatcher's approach to the Soviet Union and take a tough line on his visit to Beijing, a leading critic of the regime's human rights record said at the former Conservative HQ, now the EU's London office.

Mr Edward McMillan-Scott, the European Parliament's Vice-President for human rights and democracy, has written to Cameron listing six of his Beijing contacts who have been imprisoned and in some cases tortured (read letter here). He said:

"I urge you to raise these cases with those who govern China, as examples, and to insist on the regime’s compliance with the international agreements on civil and political rights which it has signed-up to. The Communist Party of China continues to be the most arbitrary, brutal and paranoid regime in world history. Human rights is about humans, individuals." Read more...

CHINA: SENIOR MEP CONDEMNS ARTIST’S HOUSE ARREST

A senior British MEP has condemned the house arrest of the Chinese artist Mr Ai Weiwei, whose sunflower seeds are Tate Modern’s latest sculpture.

Mr Edward McMillan-Scott (Yorkshire & The Humber), a European Parliament vice-president and leading critic of China, who met Ai Weiwei last month in London, said:

“David Cameron must raise China’s human rights when he visits next week. William Hague has said that human rights are a core value of our foreign policy".Read more...

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