June 2003

Concern over EU-US Extradition Deal

Tuesday 03 June 2003

It obviously makes sense to smooth out the difficulties involved in making two sets of legal systems work together to catch criminals and terrorists.

Often in the field of law enforcement and intelligence different agencies are jealous of their patches and prerogatives reluctant to share information because knowledge is power and bureaucratic requirements must be examined critically. However it is another matter altogether to justify brushing aside legal safeguards defendants' rights and privacy concerns in the name of the war against terrorism.

Calling Notice - Demanding a Fair Trial for Nick Baker

Wednesday 04 June 2003

Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP European Liberal Democrat justice spokeswoman and Sabine Zanker a lawyer with Fair Trials Abroad will hold a press conference at 11am on Friday 6th June as time runs out to prevent a gross miscarriage of justice in Japan against British citizen Nick Baker. Nick's mother Iris Baker will be present.

Nick Baker has spent over a year in a Japanese prison already 10 months of that in solitary confinement on a charge of drug-smuggling for which he protests his innocence. He alleges he was duped by a travelling companion into carrying through customs a bag containing drugs. Baroness Ludford and Fair Trials Abroad maintain he has not had a fair trial. Next week on Thursday June 12th verdict and sentence (which could be up to 15 years) will be passed.

Reform of MEPs' pay deal sabotaged""

Wednesday 04 June 2003

Pro-reform Members of the European Parliament have been defeated today in their efforts to bring about a long awaited overhaul of MEPs pay and expenses.

A German led coalition of anti-reform MEPs has approved a package of proposals which has been described as "indefensible" by Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament who voted against it.

London's Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford said:

"The proposal voted today is not a genuine reform package but simply another successful sabotage attempt. Ministers from EU member states will have no choice but to throw it out and we will be back to square one."

Asylum responsibility should be shared, not shifted

Wednesday 04 June 2003

I want to talk about two matters on the summit agenda. The first is migration and asylum the second is the Balkans.

I am glad to say that yesterday the Commission gave a cool response to the British proposals to set up refugee detention centres in places like the Balkans because the difficulties of that would be considerable. I agree that there is a need to combat smuggling and trafficking through the orderly and managed arrival of refugees. Ideas like allowing asylum applications to be lodged in the home region and then to have protected entry or resettlement schemes are useful to pursue but these must be complementary to the individual right to seek asylum not replace it. We must not deny asylum seekers access to European Union territory.

MEPs Against Breast Cancer

Thursday 05 June 2003

Baroness Sarah Ludford Lib Dem MEP for London has welcomed today's vote in the European Parliament calling for increased action to combat breast cancer in the EU.

MEPs are calling on the Commission and the EU Member States to adopt a range of strategies to reduce deaths from breast cancer and are calling for a target of a 25% reduction in the average breast cancer mortality rate in the EU.

Animal Welfare Rules Must Be Tightened

Thursday 05 June 2003

London Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford has joined a majority of Members of the European Parliament in a campaign to improve animal welfare standards.

The European Parliament declaration this week calls for a new maximum limit for the movement of live animals of 8 hours or 500km on journeys for slaughter or further fattening. It highlights the overcrowding poor ventilation and water and food deprivation to which animals such as sheep and lambs are being subjected during journeys in excess of 40 hours.

Said Sarah:

"This campaign has attracted support which crosses both national and political boundaries and marks the depth of feeling about how we treat animals.

Smoky Bacon: EU Hit or Myth?

Friday 06 June 2003

Eurosceptics thought they had scored a hit with claims that a new EU regulation would lead to smoky bacon-flavoured crisps disappearing from the shelves and cause "havoc" in Britain's food industry. The hit was shown to be a myth however since the new rules will help food manufacturers and protect customers from harm.

London Euro-MP Sarah Ludford said: "This is the EU doing the job for which it was created laying down rules so that trade can take place freely while also ensuring that health risks are eliminated. It's a mundane but sensible approach that should be welcomed not criticised."

Stop the Heathrow expansion madness

Monday 09 June 2003

Sarah Ludford LibDem Euro-MP for London and Susan Kramer joined GLA candidate and Hillingdon councillor Mike Cox in a march and demonstration against a proposed third runway at Heathrow.

Said Sarah:

"The Government should not be promoting airport expansion in the South East until all the other options have been fairly explored including investing in high speed rail and taxing aviation properly.

"Alistair Darling has seen the light (or so he says) in accepting that a 'predict and provide' policy for road-building is a dead end. But on aviation there seems to be a blinkered attitude due to the cosiness with BA and BAA which prevents such insight.

Last ditch move for Japan fair trial

Tuesday 10 June 2003

The family of framed man Nick Baker are using a facility under Japanese law to demand the reopening of an investigation to secure him a fair trial in Japan on drug-smuggling charges. He asserts his innocence alleging he was duped.

On hearing that Nick's mother has demanded the indictment* of travelling companion 'Mr Jones' London's Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford said:

"It is damning of the lack of true justice in Japan that Mrs Baker has been forced to make this latch ditch effort to get the national agencies to properly investigate the travelling companion. Local prosecutors refused to pursue him although they named him as an international drug smuggler!"

Red Tape obstructs Justice

Wednesday 11 June 2003

Just hours before a possible verdict London's Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford claims that red tape and bureaucracy have helped sabotage British man Nick Baker's claim for a fair trial in Japan on drug-smuggling charges. The principal blame lies with the Japanese court and ministries which have refused to obtain crucial evidence in the case. But Sarah Ludford is also critical of the British government's failure to do more.

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