Labours Bid To Win Friends

Britains new Labour government is making a dramatic bid to win friends in Europe in its first week in office. The new foreign secretary Robin Cook made whistestop trips to Paris and Bonm Wednesday to emphasise Labours commitment to European unity. We want to be at the heart of Europe. Not at the periphery, said Prime Minister Tony Blair spelling out the new mood in government.

The outgoing Tory government was involved in blazing rows with its European partners on issues like the single currency and minimum wages. Also, they had an eyeball-to-eyeball row last year over the EUs ban on British beef. During his brief stopovers Cook met his French and German counterparts. We want there to be three main players in Europe, not two, said Cook. The five-day-old Labour government signalled early that it would make a fresh start in Europe when it announced that it would sign on for the EUs controversial Social Chapter legislation.

 

The Tories had refused to sign because it put a maximum ceiling on working hours.

Labours quick decision to permit the Bank of England to fix interest rates has also been interpreted as a pro-Europe move. An independent central bank is one of the criteria for joining the single currency.

The new government has also made key appointments that signal its determination to brush up ties with the EU and leading European countries.

On Wednesday it appointed David Simon, Chairman, BP as the minister for European Trade. Earlier, the newly appointed minister for European Affairs, Doug Henderson was despatched to Brussels on Monday to spread Labours new message to the EU.

Labour has moved quickly after coming to power on a number of fronts. On Tuesday it dramatically handed over the power to fix interest rates to the Bank of England.

Observers say that Labour leaders appear to have charted out a gameplan for their first few months in office.

Labours moves on the European front represent a sharp break with the past. For the last 18 years the British government, first under Margaret Thatcher and then under John Major, have had bitter disputes with their European partners.

The new government has, however, said that it will not alter its immigration and asylum rules to meet European open border requirements.

It has also left open the question of whether to join the European single currency which is due to kick off in 1999.

EOM.