Labour MEPs

"He’s already saying we will not extend, we will make it illegal to extend. He doesn’t want to negotiate a proper partnership or trade deal. His strategy in negotiations seems to be ‘give me what I want or I’ll shoot myself in the head’ - it’s not going to work. It’s going to lead to a disastrous Brexit." - Richard Corbett

Labour MEPs: Boris Johnson's Brexit strategy seems to be ‘give me what I want or I’ll shoot myself in the head’ Boris Johnson's negotiating strategy seems to be ‘give me what I want or I’ll shoot myself in the head’, Labour MEPs warned as the European Parliament debated Brexit, a week on from the general election.

“If it wasn’t already clear what the choice facing British people is, this week’s events have made it starker than stark - we will either end up as the playthings of Donald Trump, the NHS butchered and bought up by US drug companies, or we have a chance to have a referendum and remain in the EU, maintaining our standards and saving our NHS.” - Seb Dance MEP

As Tories plot sell-off of NHS to Trump, MEPs stand up for British businesses and consumers against US tariff war While the Tories plot to sell-off the NHS to Donald Trump, Labour MEPs today voted for a resolution condemning the US government’s unilateral imposition of tariffs on EU agricultural products in its disproportionate response to the WTO Airbus case.

While Boris Johnson chickened out of the C4 leaders climate debate, the European Parliament today backed Labour's resolution declaring a climate emergency...

Climate emergency declared by European Parliament The European Parliament has today backed a Labour-led resolution declaring a climate emergency, with MEPs joining those national parliaments and local authorities across Europe who have highlighted the need to take urgent environmental action.

“My fear is that Johnson, for political reasons, does not want the public to see benefits from the EU. He’d rather that flooded communities forgo the money - and as always under this Tory government, it is the poorest, those in greatest need of help, who will be hit most.” - Richard Corbett

Labour MEPs: Dithering Johnson's failure to apply for EU funds to help flood victims will hit the poorest most Labour MEPs have written to the prime minister urging him to apply immediately for EU funding to help communities hit by flooding.

“If Johnson and the Tories, in league with Farage, under the thumb of Trump and beholden to billionaires, win the election and take us out of the EU, millions of working people will suffer while fraudsters and tax dodgers will rub their hands with glee.” - Neena Gill MEP

Labour MEPs: New EU VAT laws will crackdown on £4.3bn of tax fraud New EU laws on VAT collection will give authorities the tools to go after the €5 billion (£4.3bn) lost to public services through VAT fraud, Labour MEPs said as the European Parliament gave the green light to the measures today.

“As we transition to a climate neutral future, it is essential that we leave no one behind, and so I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Socialists and Democrats Group to ensure climate policy is progressive for the planet and for people.”

Only hope of tackling climate emergency is to remain in EU, Labour MEP warns after election as vice-chair of environment committee The only hope of dealing with the climate emergency is to remain in the European Union and work collaboratively to enact policies that tackle the dangers we face, a Labour MEP warned today after being elected vice-chair of the European Parliament environment committee.

“We face a tough period in the months ahead, and we stand ready. We will continue to fight Brexit with everything we have for however long it takes. Europe's values are our values and we will continue to make the case that we must remain in the European Union.”

Labour MEP elected vice-president of socialist group Labour MEP Claude Moraes was today elected as a vice-president of the European Parliament Socialits and Democrats Group, the parliament’s second largest political group.

“Brexit is producing many negative consequences - a decline in our democratic standards should not be one of them.”

Over half of UK MEPs ask Venice Commission to investigate UK's "declining democratic standards" A cross-party group of 38 UK MEPs has written to a high-level international legal commission to ask for its intervention over ‘declining democratic standards’ in the UK. The letter to the Venice Commission, signed by over half the UK’s MEPs, raises concerns over the exclusion of specific group...

“We must continue the good work we have done over the past few years, on everything from protecting and enhancing workers’ rights, to tackling tax avoidance, to protecting the environment, and I am confident we will manage to do this, and Labour MEPs will continue to play our part as we have always done.”

Labour MEPs welcome new leader of European Parliament socialist group Labour MEPs have welcomed the new leader of the European Parlaiment Socialists and Democrats Group, Iratxe García Pérez, who succeeded Udo Bullmann today.

We will continue fighting Brexit and working with colleagues to implement progressive legislation across a range of areas, including strengthening workers' rights, combating climate change and ensuring tax justice.

Labour MEPs: Our team will continue to work hard on the issues that matter most Following the European elections, over the course of the next Parliament Labour's team of MEPs will continue working hard on the issues that matter most.

While other pro-EU parties, new and old, may shout shriller, as the aforementioned examples show it is Labour and only Labour that has a record of delivery at the European Parliament, a record our party, country and continent can be proud of.

Labour MEPs: Making a positive impact over the past five years As the current session of the European Parliament comes to an end, we look back on the positive impact Labour MEPs have made over the past five years – working on, pushing for and backing EU action on a range of areas that have and will continue to improve people’s lives in Britain and beyond...

“If these laws are now challenged and found wanting, those who allowed this to happen will have a lot of explaining to do to the millions of UK and EU27 citizens whose right to visa-free travel will be imperilled.”

Labour MEPs: Gibraltar “colony” reference is unacceptable and dangerous The reference to Gibraltar as a “colony” in the EU's post-Brexit visa proposals puts the laws at risk of legal challenge, Labour MEPs warned as the European Parliament today backed the new visa-waiver regime that seeks to ensure British citizens can enjoy visa-free travel to the EU27 and vice-ve...