Nicholson slams move to end dual-mandates for deputies

Date: 04/04/02

By Martin Banks

PLANS to stop British peers serving as MEPs have been branded a 'retrograde' step.

From 2009, anyone sitting in the British House of Lords will be unable to continue as a deputy or put his or her name forward for election to the European Parliament.

Peter Hain, the UK's Europe minister, has written to the three British MEPs who are also peers and may be affected by the shake-up: Emma Nicholson and Sarah Ludford, both members of the Group of European Liberals, and Richard Inglewood, of the European People's Party.

Hain notified them that, subject to approval by EU member states, dual mandates will be abolished at the next elections in 2004.

'But the Government has negotiated an exemption for members of both the House of Commons and House of Lords until the 2009 European Parliament.'

Nicholson, deputy chairwoman of the assembly's foreign affairs committee, called the move a 'retrograde' step and said 'it will be a sad day indeed when members of the House of Lords are disbarred from serving in Europe'.

She wrote to Hain reminding him that peers do not draw a salary and receive little in the way of expenses.

'It is not the same as someone who serves in both their own national assembly, for which they are paid, and the European Parliament,' she said.

She suggests an alternative plan under which peers wishing to retain a dual mandate would serve only as honorary members of the House of Lords for a set period.

She added: 'The simple truth is that the proposals as they stand are going to prevent a lot of very able people from seeking election to the European Parliament, and this is most regrettable.'

Plans to stop anyone sitting in the British House of Lords to continue as a deputy or put his or her name forward for election to the European Parliament from 2009 have been branded criticised by Emma Nicholson, a member of the Group of European Liberals.