193 MPs back parliamentary motion on UK and EU/Cuba relations
Campaign News | Friday, 23 June 2006
Call for rethink of European policy towards island is among 'top 50' most supported issues
London 18 June: A cross-party group of MPs' Early Day Motion calling on the UK to improve its relations with Cuba has gathered 193 signatures and is among the 50 most supported motions on the Hansard website.
The serendipitously numbered EDM 1959 lies in joint 49th place out of 2,628 Early Day Motions during this session of parliament.
This is a remarkable achievement for an issue of foreign policy.
According to the list available at the Hansard EDM website (see below) the only foreign policy issues of more concern to MPs are Colombia and Burma.
The signatories include former cabinet minister Clare Short, not traditionally known for her support of Cuba, and Vincent Cable, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on foriegn affairs.
An Early Day Motion, or EDM, is a motion put down ("tabled") by Members of Parliament calling for a debate on a particular subject. In practice, there is rarely time to debate EDMs nowadays and their true modern-day purpose is to enable MPs to draw attention to an issue and to canvass support for their views by inviting other Members to add their signatures in support of the motion.
EDMs that attract more than 100 supporters are considered issues that are worthy of being taken notice of. If the EDM can attract more than 200 signatories, the matter will become one of serious concern for the government.
Readers are urged to ask their MP to sign the Early Day Motion 1959 on Cuba.
Email them from:
www.writetothem.com today.
Progress of the EDM can be followed at:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=30440&SESSION=875
By 23 June it had gathered 193 signatories. They are listed below.
EDM 1959, EU COMMON POSITION ON CUBA
That this House recognises efforts by the Government to cement positive relations with Cuba; identifies the 48 per cent decrease in United Kingdom exports to Cuba since 2000 as unwelcome and in direct contrast to increased trade between Cuba and other EU partners; notes the continued aggressive lobbying of EU member states by the US Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba which promotes a tightening of extra territorial elements of the illegal blockade which effect EU/Cuba relations; acknowledges that despite differences between the two countries, cultural, scientific, sporting and trade links should be protected and built upon; and calls on the United Kingdom Government to maintain and develop its independent approach of positive engagement towards Cuba when the EU common position on Cuba is reviewed in June.
Signatories
Gibson, Ian
Evans, Nigel
Pugh, John
Jackson, Glenda
Price, Adam
Burgon, Colin
Sheridan, Jim
Kilfoyle, Peter
Francis, Hywel
Turner, Desmond
Wareing, Robert N
Ruddock, Joan
Holmes, Paul
Jones, Lynne
Lepper, David
Connarty, Michael
Corbyn, Jeremy
Dismore, Andrew
Drew, David
Ancram, Michael
Williams, Roger
Hepburn, Stephen
Hoey, Kate
Humble, Joan
Marshall, David
McCafferty, Chris
Meale, Alan
Campbell, Ronnie
Conway, Derek
Cryer, Ann
Cummings, John
Flynn, Paul
Hancock, Mike
Bottomley, Peter
Vis, Rudi
Devine, Jim
Russell, Bob
Simpson, Alan
Hughes, Simon
Jenkins, Brian
Keetch, Paul
Lazarowicz, Mark
Osborne, Sandra
Breed, Colin
Caton, Martin
Dean, Janet
Featherstone, Lynne
James, Sian C
Lancaster, Mark
Morgan, Julie
Marris, Rob
McDonnell, Alasdair
Etherington, Bill
Hamilton, David
Williams, Betty
Wood, Mike
Anderson, David
Clark, Katy
Rogerson, Daniel
Lloyd, Tony
Trickett, Jon
Goodman, Helen
Riordan, Linda
McKechin, Ann
Todd, Mark
Williams, Stephen
Opik, Lembit
Burden, Richard
Dobbin, Jim
Streeter, Gary
Wilshire, David
Hemming, John
Farron, Timothy
Pelling, Andrew
Sarwar, Mohammad
Skinner, Dennis
Havard, Dai
Iddon, Brian
Khabra, Piara S
Cohen, Harry
Crausby, David
Mitchell, Austin
Galloway, George
Abbott, Diane
Austin, John
Baker, Norman
Berry, Roger
Taylor, David
Smith, Geraldine
Davidson, Ian
Walter, Robert
McGovern, Jim
Harvey, Nick
Howarth, George
Jones, Kevan
Kaufman, Gerald
Godsiff, Roger
Benton, Joe
Walley, Joan
Singh, Marsha
Marshall-Andrews, Robert
Buck, Karen
Fisher, Mark
Foster, Don
Hall, Patrick
Leech, John
Salter, Martin
Hopkins, Kelvin
Illsley, Eric
Marsden, Gordon
Murphy, Denis
O'Hara, Edward
Cook, Frank
Dobson, Frank
Barlow, Celia
Rowen, Paul
Maples, John
Cunningham, Jim
Battle, John
McCarthy, Kerry
Ruane, Chris
Challen, Colin
Clapham, Michael
Doran, Frank
Grogan, John
Stunell, Andrew
Griffith, Nia
Williams, Mark
Pound, Stephen
Sanders, Adrian
Short, Clare
Cable, Vincent
Gidley, Sandra
Harris, Evan
Owen, Albert
Brake, Tom
Brown, Nicholas
Clelland, David
Anderson, Janet
Truswell, Paul
Wyatt, Derek
Brown, Lyn
Hunter, Mark
Love, Andrew
Durkan, Mark
Field, Frank
Gerrard, Neil
Betts, Clive
Stewart, Ian
Strang, Gavin
Stringer, Graham
Thornberry, Emily
Starkey, Phyllis
Jones, Martyn
Donohoe, Brian H
Taylor, Dari
Taylor, Matthew
Taylor, Richard
Williams, Hywel
Hillier, Meg
MacNeil, Angus
Heyes, David
Chapman, Ben
Llwyd, Elfyn
Willis, Phil
Hosie, Stewart
Hood, Jimmy
Mullin, Chris
Hamilton, Fabian
Bayley, Hugh
Stoate, Howard
Teather, Sarah
Wishart, Pete
Younger-Ross, Richard
Willott, Jenny
Naysmith, Doug
Chaytor, David
Cooper, Rosie
Khan, Sadiq
Soulsby, Peter
Dowd, Jim
Cousins, Jim
George, Andrew
Engel, Natascha
Moffatt, Laura
Allen, Graham
Tipping, Paddy
Howarth, David
Robinson, Geoffrey
Farrelly, Paul
Malik, Shahid
Efford, Clive
Brown, Russell
Open letter on Cuba sent to EU ministers
Madrid, June 3 (Prensa Latina) An open letter, signed by European organizations, unions, academics and legislators, is being circulated in Europe to denounce the European Union?s “common” position against Cuba to be reviewed this month.
The letter, written in May, has been signed by representatives of 145 organizations, trade unions and associations from Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Denmark, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway and Holland.
Also 150 British parliamentarians, 3 EU deputies and 85 academicians from universities and other education and research centers signed the letter.
The signatories decry this 1996 “common position” as it establishes conditions unique to EU relations with other countries.
The text denounces the impact of such conditions, such as in the UN Human Rights Commission or the treatment given to the Cuban government’s request to enter the Cotonou Agreement.
It also criticizes handling of the Community Cooperation and the negotiation between US and EU over application of extra-territorial laws like the US Helms-Burton Act.
The letter pointed out the EU does not need any community strategy for cooperation with Cuba, just as with other countries, and that it is necessary to strengthen association between EU and Latin America, deepening political dialogue and respectful cooperation with all Latin American countries.
Among notables signing the letter are people Jose Saramago, Miguel Urbano Rodiíguez, Ginette Hesss Skandrani, Margit Mayer, Ekkehart Krippendorff, Elke Beeck, Alain Coutte, Peter Strutynski, Elisabeth Mollet, Charles Etchezaharreta and Siegfried Scholze.
The idea is sponsored by the Grupo Sur, formed by OSPAAL, Paz y Tercer Mundo, ACSUR Las Segovias y Cooperacion, GVC, COOPI and MOVIMONDO (Italy), OXFAM Solidarite (Belgium), ASTM (Luxembourg) and EEDDA (Greece).
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7BF9AAE75B-76B2-470A-9BAB-18601DA395FC%7D)&language=EN
