EU CONSTITUTION: "IMPLEMENT PARTS NOW", SAYS WEST MIDLANDS EURO-MP

5.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 6th Jun 2005

Liberal Democrats are calling on the UK Government to use its forthcoming presidency of the European Union to implement, without delay, a number of innovations proposed in the stalled constitutional treaty.

Although the French and Dutch voters rejected the constitution, Liberal Democrat Euro MP Liz Lynne has said that there are non-controversial parts of the constitution that could be implemented.

She said that as far as she knew no-one was advocating support for secretive decision-making or wanted to prevent the strengthening of national parliaments.

The Liberal Democrats argue that widespread public disaffection requires urgent action to make the EU more transparent and accountable, irrespective of the fate of the constitution.

"We must not throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are good things in the constitutional treaty to which no-one who wants reform of Europe can object.

"Government ministers have for too long met to take EU decisions in secret.

This must end now. Europe must become more open and accountable while the role of national parliaments should be enhanced.

"To bring about a shift in the balance of power between Brussels and national capitals doesn't need agreement on a constitution, it just needs MPs to start talking to one another across the national divides and exerting their moral and political influence."

ENDS