Minister David Lidington on UK Policy in Europe

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• published: 13 Jul 2010
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About the Event: In a wide-ranging and comprehensive presentation, Minister Lidington outlined the new UK Government's policy on Europe and addressed the challenges and benefits of coalition government. Stressing the importance of the Ireland-UK relationship, he argued that the extensive ties between the two states should form the basis for a strong and modern partnership within the European Union. The Coalition's Programme for Government commits the government "to playing a leading role in an enlarged Europe, and to taking specific measures to ensure future decisions on Europe reflect the will of the British public." Despite the Conservatives and Liberal Democrat coalition partners having traditionally approached the EU from different ideological positions, Minister Lidington says it was not difficult to find agreement on the fundamentals of EU policy. He emphasised that "it is important that the EU focuses only on those areas where cooperation at European level genuinely can add value, and dispenses with activities best left to member states". He presented the British Government's position on key issues such as the EU2020 economic strategy, the Eurozone crisis, enlargement, the EU's common foreign and security policy, and its attempts to tackle climate change, global poverty and nuclear proliferation. The full text of his speech can be read on the website of the British Embassy in Dublin here. About the Speaker: David Lidington was elected to Parliament in 1992 and is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Aylesbury. He was appointed Minister of State for Europe at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 14 May 2010. Mr Lidington worked for BP and RTZ before spending three years as Special Advisor to Douglas Hurd in the Home Office and Foreign Office. He has since served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the then Home Secretary, Michael Howard; Parliamentary Private Secretary to the then Leader of the Opposition, William Hague; Shadow Opposition Spokesman at the Home Office; Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury; Shadow Minister for Agriculture; Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs.