Graham Watson MEP

Watson Welcomes State Aid Approval of Rural Broadband

Published on Tuesday 20th November 2012

South West MEP for the Liberal Democrats Sir Graham Watson has commented on the approval of state aid by the European Commission to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds of superfast broadband investment across Devon, Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

"I am delighted that the investment has finally been approved, which will be matched with further private investment. However I hope that Broadband Delivery UK and the European Commission will look into the reasons why this sign off took so long.

"We can now proceed to bring the vital investment that is required to rural communities and towns across the area and put in place the tools that are required to spur economic growth in the west.

Read more: Watson Welcomes State Aid Approval of Rural Broadband

Public Meeting on Farming and CAP Reform in Exeter

Published on Tuesday 20th November 2012

Liberal Democrat MEP for the South West Sir Graham Watson will take part in an event organised by the UK office of the European Parliament next Friday to discuss farming and EU CAP reform.

The event will be held at the NFU South West office in Exeter and will be a chance for key stakeholders in the agriculture industry to listen and ask questions to an expert panel on future European Union farming policy and priorities for the South West.

Sir Graham commented,

"The rural economy is an integral part of the Westcountry economy. 60% of the UK's budget from the EU is spent on agriculture.

Read more: Public Meeting on Farming and CAP Reform in Exeter

President's closing speech, ALDE party Congress, Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin, Saturday 10 November 2012

Published on Monday 12th November 2012

Friends, we've had a tough year for Europe. But we Liberals have been in the thick of it. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, as Secretary General of NATO. Olli Rehn, working day and night to save the Euro.

Read more: President's closing speech, ALDE party Congress, Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin, Saturday 10 November 2012

Opening speech, ELDR Congress, Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin, Friday 9 November 2012 by Sir Graham Watson MEP, ELDR President.

Published on Monday 12th November 2012

Friends,

Welcome to Dublin! What a magical city in which to meet! Dublin welcomed us last night with what the Irish novelist James Joyce described in his book Dubliners:

'.a mild warm air, a memory of summer, circulated in streets [which] swarmed with a gaily coloured crowd .

Read more: Opening speech, ELDR Congress, Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin, Friday 9 November 2012 by Sir Graham Watson MEP, ELDR President.

Top Marks for Westcountry Beaches, But More Still to do- Watson

Published on Tuesday 6th November 2012

133 of the 146 beaches in Devon, Cornwall and Lyme Regis areas have met European Union water bathing quality standards it has emerged today, with 88 beaches exceeding the standard with an 'excellent' rating.

However, a leading MEP in the region has called on South West Water to ensure the remaining beaches that fall below the standard have the investment they need to ensure they are brought up to standards.

Graham Watson, Liberal Democrat MEP for the South West said, "Despite one of the wettest summers on record, which can have an adverse affect on water quality, the vast majority of beaches continue to exceed EU standards.

"Tourism is vital to our local economy so I am delighted 9 in 10 beaches have passed the quality test.

Read more: Top Marks for Westcountry Beaches, But More Still to do- Watson

MEP in Bath to Discuss European Affairs

Published on Tuesday 6th November 2012

Bath's Liberal Democrat MEP Sir Graham Watson paid a visit to the city's University on Monday to give a lecture to students on the European Union and in particular how Britain should do more to cooperate with its continental neighbours.

Speaking to students, Sir Graham raised a little known fact in Britain on how the UK benefits greatly from European funding for its film industry.

He said,

"Funding from schemes such as the European Media Fund has helped to financially underpin hugely successful British films such as the Oscar winning Kings Speech. Funding for such programmes, as well as lifelong learning and the ERASMUS student exchange scheme, is currently at risk, even more so following the call to have a real terms cut in the EU's long term budget.

Read more: MEP in Bath to Discuss European Affairs

Watson Challenges Police Commissioner Wannabe’s on Cross Border Crime

Published on Monday 29th October 2012

South West Liberal Democrat MEP Sir Graham Watson has written to all candidates wishing to become a Police and Crime Commissioner in the region to ask for their thoughts on the potential UK opt-out of over 130 policies to help tackle cross border crime.

Last week Home Secretary Theresa May announced that the government was 'minded' to opt out key EU crime policies. These include the European Arrest Warrant and initiatives such as Europol and Eurojust, which help police forces from the UK to work with partners across Europe to bust paedophile rings, human traffickers and drug smugglers.

Watson, who piloted the European Arrest Warrant through the European Parliament over ten years ago commented,

"Criminals should face justice in the country they committed their crime.

Read more: Watson Challenges Police Commissioner Wannabe’s on Cross Border Crime

Watson Lobbies to Bring New Jobs to North Devon

Published on Monday 22nd October 2012

Liberal Democrat MEP for Devon Sir Graham Watson has visited the manufacturers of the Altantic Array offshore wind farm project at their UK headquarters to lobby to bring the jobs created by the project to Ilfracombe.

Meeting officials at their Swindon headquarters on Friday, Sir Graham lobbied to bring work involved with the construction and maintenance of the array to the North Devon area rather than South Wales.

The Altantic Array project, which has the potential to power over one million homes with clean renewable energy, nearly half of the South West's homes, could create over 40 jobs in Ilfracombe in addition to scores more jobs during the construction period.

Following a recent consultation period, the number of proposed turbines has been reduced from 417 to 278.

Read more: Watson Lobbies to Bring New Jobs to North Devon

We need to work together to combat human trafficking – Levy

Published on Thursday 18th October 2012

Liberal Democrat Police and Crime Commissioner Candidate for Avon and Somerset Pete Levy has today, UK Anti-Slavery Day and EU Anti-Human Trafficking Day, joined forces with Westcountry MEP Sir Graham Watson to call on the Home Secretary to urge her to ensure that police and prosecutors can continue to work effectively and quickly with their European counterparts to fight human trafficking and slavery.

Writing in The Times today, three of Britain's leading Anti-Human Trafficking charities warn that the UK's fight against human trafficking will be severely damaged if the British police cannot work across borders in Europe to combat these international crimes.

102 Tory backbenchers want the UK to abandon Europe's international crime-fighting measures, including Avon and Somerset based Tory MPs Jacob Rees-Mogg (NE Somerset), Ian Liddel Grainger (Bridgwater and West Somerset), Chris Skidmore (Kingswood) and Charlotte Leslie (Bristol North West). On Monday, the Home Secretary said that the Government is assessing whether to remain part of these measures.

Read more: We need to work together to combat human trafficking – Levy

Letter on the Press on the 20th Anniversary of the Single Market

Published on Tuesday 16th October 2012

Dear editor,

This week celebrates the 20th anniversary of the single market. For two decades Britain has been able to access the world's largest free trade area, comprising today of over 440 million consumers in addition to our own domestic market. The single market now accounts for over 20% of the worlds imports and exports despite only having 7% of the population.

Government figures show that 3.

Read more: Letter on the Press on the 20th Anniversary of the Single Market

Tory Dogma on Justice Policy Threatens law and order in the UK: Watson

Published on Monday 15th October 2012

South West of England Euro-MP and President of the European Liberal Democrats Sir Graham Watson has today warned Tories that they threaten British security as Home Secretary Theresa May is due to announce that the UK government will look to opt-out of a number of EU Justice and Home Affairs policies.

If the proposal goes ahead, the UK will opt-out of policies such as the European Arrest Warrant, an important tool used to capture and bring back to the UK failed 21/7 bomber Hussein Osman and the killer of Wiltshire girl Hayley Richards, Hugo Quintas. Britain will also opt out of the Eurojust and Europol initiatives, the later of which helped to bust one of Europe's largest ever paedophile rings last year, leading to the arrest in the UK of 121 suspected sex offenders. The operation is said to have protected 60 vulnerable young children in Britain.

Read more: Tory Dogma on Justice Policy Threatens law and order in the UK: Watson

Watson Welcomes Nobel Peace Prize Award to the European Union

Published on Friday 12th October 2012

South West Euro-MP and President of the European Liberal Democrats Sir Graham Watson has commented on the awarding of the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union.

"This award not only goes to the founding fathers who played their part in bringing Europe together –Churchill, Schuman, Monnet and others- but to every citizen within the European Union who has enjoyed the longest period of peace by overcoming old rivalries through trade and creating prosperity.

"The awarding of this prize to the citizens of Europe should be seen as an opportunity to remind ourselves of the reasons why we are a member of the European Union. To never see a return to the dark days of nationalism that led to the slaughter on the fields of Northern Europe and to the barbaric scenes of the holocaust.

Read more: Watson Welcomes Nobel Peace Prize Award to the European Union

“Fighting tooth and nail” for Cornish EU Funding

Published on Thursday 11th October 2012

Lib Dem MEP for Cornwall Sir Graham Watson met with Looe Councillor and shadow economy portfolio holder on Cornwall Council Edwina Hannaford in Brussels yesterday as part of a delegation to the European Parliament to secure future European funding.

Councillor Hannaford, who also chairs a panel on Cornwall Council on European funding in Cornwall post 2013 met Sir Graham as part of a wider visit to lobby the EU to ensure that not only does Cornwall receive a larger share of EU funding due to its lower level of economic output, but that more freedom is granted to the Duchy on how it is spent.

Watson commented,

"Objective one and recently Convergence has been instrumental in providng the sort of funding required to invest in superfast broadband, new business units, improved road infrastructure and retraining people who may have lost their job or did not leave education with the right qualifications. And I will be fighting tooth and nail in Brussels to ensure that same funding continues to be drawn down.

Read more: “Fighting tooth and nail” for Cornish EU Funding

Brussels calling Paignton: Lib Dem Euro-MP Graham Watson does video Q&A with Paignton Community College

Published on Thursday 11th October 2012

South Devon Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Sir Graham Watson this week (Wednesday 10 October) held a video Q&A from Brussels with a group of A-level law students in Paignton Community College.

The 17-18 year olds put a range of questions to Sir Graham in a video link-up for them to learn more about how the EU works and what is happening in Brussels. They asked about EU enlargement in Eastern Europe, the 'special relationship' between the UK and America and human rights.

After the Q&A session, Graham said:

"It was great to be able to link up with students back in Devon and answer all their questions about what the EU does.

Read more: Brussels calling Paignton: Lib Dem Euro-MP Graham Watson does video Q&A with Paignton Community College

Brussels calling Shaftesbury: Lib Dem Euro-MP Graham Watson does video Q&A with St Mary's School

Published on Thursday 11th October 2012

Shaftesbury Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Sir Graham Watson this week (Tuesday 9 October) held a video Q&A from Brussels with a group of Sixth Form students in St Mary's School.

The Sixth Form students put a range of questions to Sir Graham in a video link-up for them to learn more about how the EU works and what is happening in Brussels.

The students asked about an EU referendum, joining the Euro, Scottish independence and workers coming across from Europe to UK to work here in Britain.

After the Q&A session, Graham said:

"It was great to be able to link up with students back in Dorset and answer all their questions about what the EU does.

Read more: Brussels calling Shaftesbury: Lib Dem Euro-MP Graham Watson does video Q&A with St Mary's School