Penrith & The Border: Constituency Labour Party

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 17

FOUNDED 1900

Penrith & The Border


Constituency Labour Party
www.penrithborderlabour.org.uk

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 1 of 17


Version 1.5, July 2018

Penrith &The Border Constituency Labour Party


This new member briefing paper is designed to welcome new Labour Party members and
to provide helpful information that may be needed to get started.

Here in the Penrith & The Border CLP we want to help new members make the most of
being part of the Labour Party and to become involved in activities of their own choosing.
Whatever the level of participation, we want members to feel comfortable, confident and
relaxed with their involvement. The following pages are designed to assist you to become
familiar with your branch and the wider party.

LABOUR is a great movement for national and international campaigning, social justice
and economic opportunity, fairness and democracy.

LABOUR is also a great grassroots movement, working for change at local level, through
campaigns on such issues as our health services, our schools and housing, the
environment and climate change.

LABOUR is looking to win, to gain greater influence on local authorities as well as


Parliamentary power.

YOU can help, because people together in the Labour Party can really make things
happen. We can fight economic and social inequality. We've started the fightback and you
can help Labour to get back in charge.

We hope to welcome you to one of our CLP meetings in the near future.

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 2 of 17


Welcome to the Penrith & The Border CLP
Thank you for joining the Labour Party and welcome to
Penrith & The Border CLP. We hope you enjoy being with us and join in our campaigns to
make life better for ordinary people in our district. Inequality is greater in our society now
than ever before and we want to fight this in our Constituency.

Our CLP monthly meetings take place on the third Thursday of each month except
for August and December - except for September when it will be on the first
Thursday of the month. The meetings start at 7:15 pm and are held in different venues
around the constituency but most often in Penrith: check our website for details. You will
also receive a personal notification by email – or ask the CLP Secretary. Our monthly
meetings are friendly and varied and there is usually some ‘social time’ at the end so that
members can get to know each other. We intend to have discussions, debates, social
events and campaign meetings. Our meetings are an opportunity to decide what issues we
want to focus on as a CLP and plan how to take action and plan campaigns.

If you have an issue you want to discuss the best way to do this is to add an item to the
agenda. This ensures that there is time allocated in the meeting for you to share your
thoughts and discuss it with other members. Just email or speak to the CLP secretary.

We are a friendly and polite group of people but that doesn’t mean we always agree!
These meetings are a great place to respectfully debate with other members about all
sorts of topics. We understand it can be daunting coming to your first meeting. However,
we promise it’s worth overcoming the nerves to meet a group of like-minded people and to
start making a positive difference in your community. Why not arrange to come along with
other members of your Branch?

Each month you will be emailed an agenda for the coming meeting and the minutes of the
previous meeting. We do have some printed copies at the meeting though we encourage
members who intend to attend the meeting to print their own agenda and minutes.

CLP Contact Details


Role Name Contact Details
Chair Hilary Barker chair@penrithborderlabour.org.uk
Secretary Dave Knaggs clpsecretary@penrithborderlabour.org.uk
Treasurer John Potts treasurer@penrithborderlabour.org.uk
Vice-Chair Nicola Hawkins vicechair@penrithborderlabour.org.uk

Vice- Chris Coulthard vcmembership@penrithborderlabour.org.uk


Chair/Membership
Minute Secretary Steve Barker
Youth Officer Will Melling youthofficer@penrithborderlabour.org.uk
Disability Officer Paul Donald and disabilityofficer@penrithborderlabour.org.uk
Hilary Barker

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 3 of 17


Women’s Officer Hilary Snell womensofficer@penrithborderlabour.org.uk
Trade Union Alan Marsden
Liaison Officer
BAME Coordinator Afsah Oomar Snaith
and Bernard Snaith
LGBT Coordinator Vacant
Political Education Alan Marsden
Officer
Labour Group Beth Furneaux
Observer
IT Officer Alix Martin and admin@penrithborderlabour.org.uk
Chris Cant
Auditors Chris Coulthard and
Chris Cant

Things to Do Now……
Facebook
Why not like our Facebook page?
https://www.facebook.com/PBCLP/
And then join our Facebook group? Go to the address below and
press the ‘Join’ request button.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pbclp/

Loomio
Loomio is an online virtual community for constituency members
where we can say hello, discuss hot topics and ask newbie
questions. To join, click here:
https://www.loomio.org/invitations/76be25f92fea17779ced
Please use your real name – we will check that you are a member.

Membersnet and Your Britain Websites


Once you have your Labour Party membership number (on the card you have been sent
through the post) you can register for membersnet which will then also act as the ‘Your
Britain’ login. Head to the webinar library to see training videos on all sorts of topics and to
sign up for live webinars. If you are interested in shaping policy, Your Britain is the place to
do it.
https://members.labour.org.uk/webinar-library
www.yourbritain.org.uk

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 4 of 17


Ask a Friend to Join
Do you know someone who shares our values and might
want to join? Share the story of why you joined as this is the
thing most likely to persuade them to do the same.

Volunteer
Members up and down the country are getting out into their communities to talk to
residents about the issues that they care about - and they are making a difference. To get
involved, go to the web address below or call the number on
your membership card.
labour.org.uk/volunteer

Use Your Expertise to Develop Policy


It is important that the Labour Party’s policies are informed
by the expertise, interests and passion of the members.
Contribute your views and ideas at the web address below or
talk to one of your Branch officers to find about local policy forums.
policyforum.labour.org.uk

Become a Labour Candidate


We represent the people within our communities because we are the people. Our
representatives come from a range of backgrounds and
there’s no such thing as a typical Labour candidate. So, if you
want to make a difference in your local area, then speak to us
in the local party about how you can become a candidate in
the future.

Campaigning
The local party is involved in a range of campaigns, some
briefly and some over a long period, some local, some
national. For example, local issues may include protecting
our local NHS facilities from cuts and ensuring that any
constituency boundary changes are fair and coherent.
National issues will include Brexit negotiations, defence,
education. Very often, national issues will also be local
issues as Government policy always affects us locally.

Election Canvassing & Leafleting


During national and local election campaigns we encourage members to get involved with
delivering leaflets and knocking on residents' doors to engage them in a discussion about
key Labour Party policies. This is very important as most of the newspapers almost always
support the Tories and, if this is the only source of information, voters do not get to hear
the more fair, practical and sensible policies that we offer. Our policies aim to improve the
lives of everybody unlike the Tories who improve only the wealth of the better-off in society.

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 5 of 17


Party Language
There are a number of terms, names and acronyms that
people use that describe different elements of the
organisation. The following paragraphs explain some of
those that you will hear most often.

The Constituency Labour Party or CLP


A constituency is a defined area that is represented by a Member of Parliament (MP).
There are 650 constituencies across the UK, though this is currently under review. The
people who live in a constituency are called constituents. In a general election,
constituents vote for who they want their MP to be. You are in the Penrith & The Border
Constituency. Within each constituency there is usually a Constituency Labour Party or
CLP: the CLP campaigns for their constituency’s Labour Party candidate at election time
and work towards that goal at all other times. The CLP comprises a number of local
Labour Party branches: our CLP branches are Alston Moor, Brampton & Area, Eden &
Penrith, Upper Eden and Wigton. The CLP is run by its officers and has meetings that are
open to all members in the constituency every month.

The Branch Labour Party or BLP


The CLP is split into smaller groups called the Branches, made up of people living in your
more immediate area. Each Branch elects two delegates to the Executive Committee of
the CLP.

Executive/Exec/Executive Committee (EC)


The Exec is those elected officers who take responsibility for different aspects of running
the CLP and are elected each year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). These include
the six executive officers (chair, secretary, vice-chairs, treasurer and women’s officer) and
other roles such as youth officer, disability officer, etc, see above.

The Executive Committee consists of the six executive officers and two delegates from
each branch.

Annual General Meeting (AGM)


Each year Annual General Meetings are held by the
CLP and the BLPs. Elections for Executive positions
(Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer) are held at
the AGM and the Executive also reports back on the
previous year and discusses the vision for the
forthcoming year.

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 6 of 17


Agenda and Minutes
The agenda is a list of what we plan to discuss during our meetings, and minutes are a
record of what is discussed. The agenda is set by the chair and secretary in consultation
with officers and members. The Secretary is responsible for recording the minutes: our
CLP currently has a Minute Secretary.

Labour Party Structure at Local Level


How the party works and how you can have influence locally

Branch Labour Party (BLP)


Your local Branch is usually based on the ward
boundaries for the election of councillors. A lot of
Labour Party activity takes place at branch level.
Labour members can take part in choosing local
council candidates. Your Branch Labour Party (BLP) is
one of the five branches that make up the
Constituency.

Branch activity
Your local branch (BLP) is there to bring the Labour Party to your community. Branch
members are involved in residents' associations, youth clubs, sports clubs, trade unions
and other bodies. Much of the time, branch meetings are taken up with discussing local
problems and national politics. The branch keeps the Labour representatives informed
about local issues and the views of the members about national issues.

Branches are often involved in the following:


• Distributing literature on behalf of the Party and sometimes publishing its own
newsletter
• Fundraising
• Selecting delegates to represent it at Constituency Labour Party meetings and
proposes delegates for National Conference.
• Choosing candidates for local elections
• Inviting Labour Councillors, trade unionists and other public representatives to their
meetings to keep in touch with their work.
• Monthly meetings

At election times, the branch plays a vital role. It uses its resources to work for the
election of Labour Representatives. Before the campaign, members help select the
candidate. During the campaign, members work day and night electioneering, which
includes canvassing, poster campaigns, on-line communication, issuing statements and
leaflets in support of the Party and its candidates.

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 7 of 17


Penrith and The Border Constituency Labour Party (CLP)
The Constituency is based on the electoral area for the election of Members of
Parliament (MPs) and is made up of five branches. The CLP chooses the members
from your area to represent you at annual conference and helps select the
parliamentary candidate. Our CLP consists of:

 Alston Moor BLP


 Brampton and Area BLP
 Eden & Penrith BLP
 Upper Eden BLP
 Wigton BLP

There is a CLP website with also has sections for each of our five branches.

https://www.penrithborderlabour.org.uk
Constituency activity
The responsibility for running the Party in the constituency rests with the Constituency
Labour Party (CLP). The CLP elects officers to co-ordinate its activities, and its officers
meet on a regular basis. It brings together representatives of all branches in a
constituency, coordinates the work of the Party in the constituency, organises
campaigns, publishes literature explaining Party policy and promotes Labour Party
candidates. It also organises debates on national issues and invites guests to address
its meetings which are open to all members. The CLP can also help to form new
branches and can also organise a Women’s Forum and a Black, Asian and Minority
Ethnic (BAME) Forum with the approval of the NEC. Young Labour is aimed at 14-26
year olds, who can organise themselves if they so wish and have their own meetings.

Local Campaign Forums


Local Campaign Forums are established to co-ordinate the activities of CLPs and
branches in order to seek to contest all seats in each electoral area to secure the return of
Labour councillors.

Cumbria Local Campaign Forum

The Cumbria Local Campaign Forum works towards the election of councillors onto
Cumbria County Council.

Membership of the Cumbria Local Campaign Forum is based on a model advised by the
National Executive Committee with agreement of the Regional Office (Labour North).
Therefore the Leader and Deputy Leader of the County Labour Group are members of the
forum along with CLP Chairs and/or Secretaries and the CLP Campaign Co-ordinator.

The purpose of the CLCF, in terms of County Council elections, is to:

Oversee the recruitment and selection of a panel of potential candidates (in accordance
with Appendix 4 of the Party’s rule book).

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 8 of 17


To work with the Labour Group to organise opportunities for individual members,
branches, trade unions, affiliated organisations and community organisations to enter
into dialogue with the Labour Group on current local government policy issues and ideas
for the Party’s future programme, manifesto and campaign strategy.

The work of the CLCF tends to start approximately 18 months before the County Council
elections.

Once the panel of potential candidates is agreed, the ward members in the relevant
Branch choose candidates from this panel that they would like to interview to stand as the
candidate in their area.

District Elections
This CLP covers all of Eden District Council and some of Carlisle City Council and
Allerdale District Council. Members in the Brampton and Area branch will work with the
Carlisle Local Campaign Forum to choose candidates and campaign to get them
elected. Wigton branch will work similarly for the candidates in Allerdale. The Eden
Local Campaign Forum helps branches and members choose and elect candidates for
Eden District Council.

Rule Book
The Labour Party has a rule book which outlines procedures and rules for its activities.
If you are interested the rule book can be found at the following link.

https://www.penrithborderlabour.org.uk/rule_book2018

The latest rules and procedures are available to members here:


https://members.labour.org.uk/rules-and-procedures

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 9 of 17


Labour Party Structure at National Level
How the party works and how you can
have influence Nationally

Body Role How You Can


Influence
National Policy The NPF and the seven policy Logon to
Forum (NPF) commissions make sure that the direction www.yourbritain.org.uk
of Labour policy reflects the broad to read about policy, submit
consensus in the party. The your ideas and comment on
representatives that make up the body other peoples'.
liaise with the members, supporters and
public who submit to Your Britain. NPF Vote for the NPF candidates
representatives will respond to
submissions made, ask questions and Be an NPF candidate
engage in on- going debate about the
issues that matter to you, feeding them
back when the NPF meets to move our
policy forward.

National Made up of representatives from each Vote for the NEC candidates
Executive section of the party - government, MPs, to decide who sits on the
Committee MEPs, councillors, trade unions and NEC
(NEC) CLPs. Members vote for their CLP
representatives in a ballot each year. The
NEC sets the party's objectives and
oversees the running of the party
nationally.

Annual The ultimate authority in the party, Vote for who will represent
Conference Conference decides the policy framework the CLP at conference by
from which the next manifesto will be being a delegate
drawn and sets party rules. Conference
considers the policy papers prepared by Put yourself forward as a
the policy commissions after consulting delegate so you can go to
local parties. Members choose delegates conference
to represent them at conference - and
those delegates could include you.

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 10 of 17


Useful and/or Interesting Websites
www.labour.org.uk The official Labour Party website
members.labour.org.uk Log on to watch training webinars and find events
www.penrithborderlabour.org.uk The Penrith and the Border CLP and BLPs website

www.facebook.com/PBCLP/ The Penrith and the Border CLP Facebook page

www.loomio.org/g/QJeSj9f1/penri Virtual constituency discussion group for all Penrith and


th-the-border-labour the Border CLP members.
twitter.com/Penrith_Border The Penrith and the Border CLP Twitter feed

www.facebook.com/groups/pb The Facebook Group for the Penrith & the Border
clp Constituency Labour Party.

www.lwn.org.uk Labour Women’s Network


http://party.coop The Co-op Party supports the Labour Party and often
MP’s are sponsored by them. You can be in both parties
www.38degrees.org.uk A campaigning group that organise on-line petitions.
www.stopwar.org.uk Stop the War Coalition
fawcettsociety.org.uk Women’s Rights Group which has a very legal side to it
www.fabians.org.uk Britain's oldest political think-tank
www.standuptoracism.org.uk A campaign group against racism

www.thepeoplesassembly.org. A national campaigners group against austerity who


uk often arrange transport to protests
www.hopenothate.org.uk Research, community organising & grassroots actions to
defeat hate
www.politicsresources.net/are Party manifestos from 1945 to present for Labour, Lib
a/uk/man.htm Dems and Conservative parties (and a few others)

www.politicsresources.net A helpful resource with historical election results,


manifestos and information on American politics
http://mycommunity.org.uk Want to save a local community landmark? This is a
helpful site to use and engage with like-minded people
www.europarl.europa.eu/portal Official site of the European Parliament
/en

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 11 of 17


Penrith & The Border Parliamentary
Constituency

For Parliamentary Elections (General Elections), our Parliamentary Constituency, known


as Penrith & The Border Constituency, takes in the areas of the Eden District Council and
parts of the areas covered by Carlisle City Council and parts of the area of the Allerdale
Borough Council.

Allerdale Borough Council:


Warnell, Wigton,

Carlisle City Council: Brampton, Great Corby and Geltsdale, Hayton, Irthing, Longtown &
Rockcliffe, Lyne, Stanwix Rural

Eden District Council:


Alston Moor, Appleby (Appleby), Appleby (Bongate), Askham, Brough, Crosby
Ravensworth, Dacre, Eamont, Greystoke, Hartside, Hesket, Kirkby Stephen, Kirkby Thore,
Kirkoswald, Langwathby, Lazonby, Long Marton, Morland, Orton With Tebay, Penrith
Carleton, Penrith East, Penrith North, Penrith Pategill, Penrith South, Penrith West,
Ravenstonedale, Shap, Skelton, Ullswater, Warcop

General Election 2017: Penrith and The Border


Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Rory Stewart 28,078 60.3% +0.6%
Labour Lola McEvoy 12,168 26.1% +11.7%
Liberal Neil Hughes 3,641 7.8% -0.7%
Democrat
UKIP Kerryanne Wilde 1,142 2.4% -9.8%

Green Doug Lawson 1,029 2.2% -3.1%


Independent Jonathan Davies 412 0.8% +0.8%
Majority 15,910
Turnout 46,548 71.5% +4.1%

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 12 of 17


General Election 2015: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Rory Stewart 26,202 59.7 +6.3
Labour Lee Rushworth 6,308 14.4 +1.4
UKIP John Stanyer 5,353 12.2 +9.4
Liberal Neil Hughes 3,745 8.5 -19.9
Democrat
Green George Burrow 2,313 5.3 +5.3
Majority 19,894 45.3 +20.4
Turnout 43,921 67.4 -2.5

Cumbria County Council


Cumbria County Council represents the 6 Districts of
Cumbria: Allerdale, Barrow, Carlisle, Copeland, Eden
and South Lakeland. There are 84 representatives on
Cumbria County Council as follows:

Allerdale 16
Barrow 11
Carlisle 18
Copeland 12
Eden 9
South Lakeland 18

The County Council is responsible for the more


strategic local services of the county, including schools
and learning, libraries and youth services, health and
social care, highway maintenance, waste disposal and recycling, emergency planning,
consumer protection and libraries and archives. You can find out more by going to this link:
https://cumbria.citizenspace.com/

We have two councillors in the Penrith & the Border


constituency on Cumbria County Council.

 Claire Driver, Alston and East Fellside


http://councilportal.cumbria.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID
=3685
 Roger Liddle, Wigton
http://councilportal.cumbria.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=1589

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 13 of 17


District Councils
The Local Government Act of 1972, which came into force on 1 April 1974, introduced a
two-tier system of local government consisting of County and District Councils.

The Local Government Act of 1992 provided for this structure of local government to be
reviewed, resulting in recommendations for the establishment, in some areas, of unitary
authorities to discharge local authority functions previously administered by County and
District Councils. In other areas, including Cumbria, the existing two-tier system has been
favoured for retention and district councils continue to provide recreation facilities, housing
and cemeteries, organise refuse collection and street cleansing and deal with building
regulations and development control (planning). District Councils are also responsible for
collecting the rates/community charge/council tax and compiling registers of electors.

Some district councils applied for permission to be called borough councils. Cumbria has
the following District Councils.

We have two councillors in the Penrith & the Border constituency on district councils:
 John Crouch, Wigton, Allerdale Borough Council
http://democracy.allerdale.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=20
 Lissie Sharp, Alston Moor, Eden District Council
https://democracy.eden.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=405

ALLERDALE DISTRICT/BOROUGH COUNCIL


Allerdale, in central Cumbria, borders the sea in the west and reaches to Kirkbampton,
Thursby, Caldbeck, and St Johns Castlerigg in the east. Southward it claims Borrowdale
and Buttermere. Allerdale has 61 parish councils.
www.allerdale.gov.uk

BARROW-IN-FURNESS BOROUGH COUNCIL


The district of Barrow-in-Furness is located in the south-west of the county. Its border is
defined in the south by Morecambe Bay; in the west by the sea; and in the North by
Askam-in-Furness. It includes the towns of Askam-in-Furness and Dalton-in-Furness.
Barrow-in-Furness has three parish councils.
www.barrowbc.gov.uk

CARLISLE CITY COUNCIL


Carlisle district lies in northern Cumbria and is defined by the adjacent border with
Scotland in the north and Northumbria in the east. The district encompasses the city of
Carlisle and stretches southward to Dalston, Wetheral, and Cumwhitton parishes and east
to Nether Denton, Upper Denton, and Kingwater parishes . Carlisle has 38 parish councils.
www.carlisle.gov.uk

COPELAND BOROUGH COUNCIL


Copeland starts on Cumbria’s western coast and stops at the boundary with South
Lakeland district. In the north it includes Distington and Lowca parishes; southward it takes
in Millom. Westward Ennerdale and Kinniside, Wasdale, Eskdale, and Ulpha parishes are
governed by Copeland. Copeland has 30 parish councils.
www.copelandbc.gov.uk

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 14 of 17


EDEN DISTRICT COUNCIL
Eden, in eastern Cumbria, begins at Durham county’s border and covers an area from
Hesket and Ainstable in the north to Tebay, Ravenstonedale, and Mallerstang in the south.
Westward it takes in Patterdale, Threlkeld, Mungrisdale, and Castle Sowerby parishes.
Eden has 75 parish councils.
www.eden.gov.uk

SOUTH LAKELAND DISTRICT COUNCIL


South Lakeland stretches from Cumbria’s border with Yorkshire to Copeland and Barrow
districts. South Lakeland covers an area from the Lakes, Kentmere, and Sedbergh in the
north to Aldingham, Grange-over-Sands, Casterton, and Dent in the south. In the west it
begins at Duddon and reaches to Garsdale and Dent in the east. South Lakeland has 88
parish councils.
www.southlakeland.gov.uk

Who provides which services

Services provided by the District Councils


 Affordable Housing, Homelessness and Housing Advice
 Building Control
 Business Rates collection
 Council Tax collection
 Car parking and on and off street parking enforcement
 Town Centre management
 Markets
 Electoral Services
 Economic Development
 Household rubbish and recycling collections
 Housing Benefit payments
 Environmental Health and Services, e.g. noise, pest control
 Leisure Services including sport and leisure centres
 Licensing and street trading
 Planning
 Tourism

Services provided by Cumbria County Council


 Adult education
 Blue/car badges
 Concessionary travel
Children's Services
 Education Services
 Environment and Planning
 Emergency planning
 Fire
 Health and social care
 Household waste recycling centres
 Libraries and Archives
 Police

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 15 of 17


 Public rights of way
 Public transport services
 Registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships
 Strategic planning and some planning applications
 Transport Roads and travel including potholes, signage and gritting
 Trading Standards
 Waste Recycling Centres

Town and Parish Councils


There are also town and parish councils within our area. Here are links for town councils
for Kirkby Stephen and Penrith to see examples of what they do:

https://www.kirkby-stephen.com/index.php/town-council/councillors-meetings-and-minutes

http://www.penrithtowncouncil.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/160417-ATM-report-15-16-
FINAL-.pdf

What do town and parish councils do?

 Give views, on behalf of the community, on planning applications and other proposals that
affect the parish
 Undertake projects and schemes that benefit local residents
 Work in partnership with other bodies to achieve benefits for the parish
 Alert relevant authorities to problems that arise or work that needs to be undertaken
 Help the other tiers of local government keep in touch with their local communities.

Members of the European


Parliament (MEPs)
The European Parliament is made up of 751
Members elected in the 28 Member States of the
enlarged European Union. Since 1979, MEPs have
been elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-
year period. Each country decides on the form its
election will take, but must guarantee equality of the
sexes and a secret ballot. EU elections are by
proportional representation.

Seats are allocated on the basis of population of each Member State. Slightly more than a
third of MEPs are women. MEPs are grouped by political affinity, not nationality.

What do MEPs do?


MEPs are our elected representatives in the European Union. Their job is to represent our
interests and those of our region in Europe. They do this by listening to people with local
and national concerns, to interest groups and businesses. Where necessary, they question

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 16 of 17


and lobby the Commission and the Council of Ministers. Above all, MEPs pass laws that
affect many aspects of our lives, for example:

 how many hours employees throughout the EU can be required to work and how
much rest and holiday they must be given;
 which pesticides are safe to use on the food grown in the EU;
 how much you pay for mobile phone calls when you go to another EU country;
 how to use and label Genetically Modified Organisms;
 making children's toys safe;
 the safety of thousands of chemicals used in everyday manufactured goods such as
TVs and sofas;
 cleaning up the air we breathe and the water we drink and swim in;
 getting health care in another EU country either on holiday or when the queue is too
long in your own country;
 making it easier to study at university in another EU country.

Our region’s eight Members of the Our European Parliament (MEP’s), listed below, were
elected in 2009 by proportional representation. They represent the North West as a whole.

 Theresa Griffin (Labour)


 Afzal Khan (Labour)
 Julie Ward (Labour)
 Jacqueline Foster (Conservative)
 Sajjad Karim (Conservative)
 Louise Bours (UKIP)
 Paul Nuttall (UKIP)
 Steven Woolfe (previously UKIP)

For more information on the EU:


The EU information office - http://www.europarl.org.uk/
The European Parliament website:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/

CLP Members Pack 1.5 - July 2018 Page 17 of 17

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy