It seems natural to me that we should be at the forefront of attempts to improve the EU
February 2: Ming Campbell met with Liberal Democrats in Brussels earlier today and addressed them as follows:
I am delighted to be able to join you here today.
The European Parliament is unique. There is simply no other Parliament in the world like it. Working in twenty different languages, legislating for a partnership of 450 million citizens, it is a daring example of representative democracy in action.
I am immensely proud of the work of our Liberal Democrat MEPs, and of that of our colleagues from Liberal parties across Europe. You are promoting a European Union which is economically dynamic, environmentally sustainable and politically accountable. A union which has liberal values at its core.
I am a lifelong internationalist. It has always seemed self evident to me that the pooling of sovereignty at international level is necessary if we wish to influence the world around us. Globalisation has made this need for collective, supranational decision-making even more pressing. The new threats to our collective security international terrorism, unstable or rogue states, weapons of mass destruction, cross border crime, and global climate change demand a coherent international response.
In seeking the leadership of the Liberal Democrats in Great Britain, I can promise you this: I will lead a party which will wear its internationalism on its sleeve.
