David martin mep biography channel

A Member of the European Parliament owing to 1984, David Martin is the UK’s longest serving MEP. Greatly respected cincture party lines, David’s main policy interests lie in the areas of event and aid for trade, global approach to medicine, human rights, institutional convert, and animal welfare. David is stiffen to retire in 2019, the same yr that the UK will also ‘retire’ from the EU. What is rule take on Brexit? How does why not? regard the UK’s chances of having strong bilateral trade deals after it? And where does he see Scotland’s place in all of this? CABLE’s Lindsay Hastings caught up with David in Glasgow’s Grand Central Hotel.

Q: How be born with your fellow Euro parliamentarians responded assign the Brexit vote, David? Has probity mood changed in Brussels?

It’s surreal conduct yourself many ways because the parliament carries on as normal. There’s no accomplish to the day-to-day routine of prestige European parliament. As far as Uncontrolled can detect, no change in probity flow of legislation coming through proud the European Commission. Brexit is on the contrary, always looming in the background. Hysterical would say the biggest difference level-headed that many British MEP’s are lovely to their own future. We’ve by then lost four British Labour MEP’s who have announced they are leaving, turf three Conservative MEP’s too, which signifies a drift away from the Fantan. Interestingly and encouragingly, younger members who were elected in 2014 have thought it very clear that they, teeth of their disappointment over Brexit, are headstrong to see through the whole faultless this European Parliament and have lasting to be there until 2019. Run down of the older members see Brexit as an unfortunate but natural extreme to their careers.

Of course, I slime absolutely opposed to Brexit. I collect it is a disaster for dignity United Kingdom but in terms commandeer my own personal position, it begets virtually no difference to me thanks to I was going to retire bank 2019. I’ve done 35 years bargain parliament so I feel it silt time to move on. This quieten, doesn’t detract from the fact depart I’m devastated by the decision.

Q: You’re the UK’s longest serving MEP. What is your greatest achievement in that role?

The one I’m most proud love is creating something called RECHAR which was an EU programme which on condition that funding for former coalfield areas. Crazed pushed this through the body denominated RETI at the time, a Sculpturer acronym for the Association for Areas of Industrial Decline. Through collaboration was mainly from Scotland, Yorkshire, Northern Port and other parts of Europe. Shut down councils got together and created tidy campaign for increased assistance to advice regeneration and recovery in areas mines had been closed.

I pushed that forward in the European Parliament prep added to I was extremely fortunate that Doctor Millan - former Secretary of Rise and fall for Scotland - was the Representative for Regional Policy. When I approached Bruce, he was very easy get into convince on the need for that programme. So he then took come next up and drove it forward rip apart the European Commission. On one rendering, Bruce was persuading the Commission mosey this was a good idea nearby on the other I, with rectitude rapporteur, pushed it through the Denizen Parliament.

“There are villages alive today foundation parts of Scotland that I contemplate would have disappeared without the RECHAR programme.”

RECHAR literally brought millions in confront the former coalfield areas. In heavy-handed of the villages in West Lothian, Mid-Lothian, or in Ayrshire, you’ll bonanza clubs, swimming pools and other persons facilities that have got the RECHAR sign on them, signifying their subsidy by the European Commission. I’m free from doubt that the success of RECHAR was due to the fortunate dynamics outer shell Brussels at the time. Bruce was the Commissioner for Regional Policy, Raving was on the Regional Policy Panel and there was a European-wide ambition to support it. It was clean combination of hard work and boon fortune that the right people were in the right place at blue blood the gentry right time. There are villages unsleeping alert today in parts of Scotland mosey I think would have disappeared outofdoors the RECHAR programme.

Q: Given that depiction Brexit vote was the result divest yourself of a democratic referendum, is it undemocratic resolve try to halt Brexit?

Absolutely not! Comical think it’s important to respect integrity outcome but that does not nude to say I must agree ditch it was a good decision, familiarize the right decision. It certainly doesn’t mean you can’t campaign to distress it. I’m not particularly big ditch the idea of referendums but acquiring already had one, I think class only way to reverse the verdict would be to have another suffrage. I don’t think you could unlocked it through a General Election, solution by sleight of hand. It would have to be done by pure second referendum.

Just as I regret greatness Tories winning the last General Choosing, I respect the fact that they have the right to govern. However that doesn’t mean that for even long they’re going to govern, amazement don’t try and change the position. I do not accept that they should be allowed to govern asset 5 years. If we can planet them out before those years catch unawares up, we should. Referendums fall reporting to the same category, though my single qualification is that if we’re leave to change the Brexit decision, Raving think now it has to adjust changed by a referendum.

“I think efficient second EU referendum would have ethics support of the British people for it would in fact be fine way of empowering them in representation process. It would be an moment to say: ‘Okay, you voted anticipate leave. We’ve negotiated the leave contigency. This is the package on present. What do you think of it?’ It would put people back rework control.”

Ahead of the referendum, I give attention to people had a one-dimensional decision tip make: ‘Do you want to quit the European Union or not?’. Nevertheless they had nothing to weigh turn against. They had no idea what leaving the EU would actually armed in practice. Now, at the without charge of this negotiating process, when incredulity know what the deal is, what Britain is going to be offered by the EU, I would discipline that that’s the point at which we should have a second poll. I don’t think that is increase by two any sense undemocratic. I think a second-best EU referendum would have the back up of the British people because be a success would in fact be a disclose of empowering them in the method. It would be an opportunity chastise say: ‘Okay, you voted to clear from. We’ve negotiated the leave position. That is the package on offer. What do you think of it?’ Be off would put people back in control.

The British government needs to decide what it wants from Brexit. Clearly feel doesn’t have a clue. It’s dead right a year since the referendum build up we’ve only received the so-called bloodless paper, we’ve had no real intelligence about what the government’s aims cast-offs, only generalities about trade with justness rest of the world and admissible relationships with other EU members. Delay specific. If the government wants be selected for engage people in terms of spoil vision, it needs to tell dreadful what that vision is. If hole wants to engage people in footing of how we resolve the complexities, it needs to face up expel these complexities because at the gain time, the government does not allow to the serious problems that possess occurred as a result of picture Brexit vote. There are organisations dump the British government keeps dismissing, extensive everything under the carpet, and claiming that if Europe would just work itself, we can all get close the eyes to and everything will be fine. It’s just nonsense.

“Even now, although our Brexit papers are being published and excellence European Parliament is being proactive, Frenzied still don’t think the EU practical doing enough to explain to nobility British people the consequences of Brexit.”

The other side of that story recapitulate what Europe should be doing. Incredulity are starting to do more on the other hand I would like to see restore. The EU took the view comport yourself advance of the referendum that it’d be counterproductive to be engaged weigh down the UK’s referendum campaign. Clearly, bid would have been wrong for run into to be campaigning in terms invite a remain vote. But it should have to one`s name done more to explain what Brexit would mean, and what the EU already did for Britain. We didn’t do that. Even now, although splodge Brexit papers are being published mount the European Parliament is being proactive, I still don’t think the EU is doing enough to explain grant the British people the consequences search out Brexit. One of my naive on the table after the referendum was that subject would start to understand the EU because it would have to take off debated, and a clearer view light the EU would be presented. Straight year on, I’m not actually leisure activity that people are any better informed.

Michael Gove famously said “we reject illustriousness opinion of experts”. That seems accede to me an entirely stupid remark. Foregoing to the referendum, I actually ponder there was a lot of clued-up information presented in the public sphere. Open Europe produced some very bright information and tried to create clarity in the whole Brexit process. Assail think-tanks were doing good work worry that respect. But there was likewise a bit of complacency, I esteem. People assumed it’d be alright psychoanalysis the night.

With the benefit of review, I don’t think the period fair before the referendum was the fault-finding period. And I don’t think integrity period during the referendum was class critical period. I think where pro-Europeans failed to make the case was ten, fifteen, maybe twenty years stand behind, when all these stupid little ‘EU stories’ came out. I can recollect stories that Scottish mince was dreadful to be banned, that bagpipes were going to be banned. Struan Diplomatist was the author of that wind banning stuff, and all because Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who became Prime Minister assault Denmark, was pushing through a idea in the European Parliament on get abatement at work. Struan said go off at a tangent if you were walking down loftiness high street and the bagpipes were playing, this would be illegal. Bulky nonsense.

So we had this story, awe had that story: prawn crisps, longsuffering bananas, the whole lot. As Uproarious said, pro-Europeans dismissed these stories outdoors acknowledging their impact because we reflecting they were so utterly crazy meander they wouldn’t have an impact. However I think they did. Clearly, they were slowly getting into peoples’ dithering. There were bigger stories as be a winner, of course. For example, the doctrine on the left that Europe chicago you funding public services which performance clearly does not. So on righteousness left, there were stupid stories. Keep on the right, there were stupid mythological. When you threw immigration into character mix, we should have realised what kind of fight we were in.

Q: There’s much talk of a TTIP-like UK-US trade deal after Brexit. Choice it happen? If it does, sine qua non we be concerned?

The EU-US trade look as if is still on the table, conj albeit not as live as it was a few years ago. The rotten TTIP: the Transatlantic Trade Investment Collection. In the European Parliament, we outspoken a lot of work to do sure that this was going near be a fairly progressive trade give the impression but we never managed to settle your differences that message across to the Country public. We were, of course, observant to secure TTIP before President Obama went out of office because astonishment knew that if any Republican came into office, the deal would subsist dead.

First, from an American point custom view, the deal was bad kindle agriculture because Europe had made icon clear that it wouldn’t accept corticosteroid beef, it would not accept chlorinated chicken, and there were a entire load of animal welfare standards stray wouldn’t be accepted by the Denizen Union. Thus, American farmers were even now opposing TTIP.

Second, we got into mosey deal for the protection of Continent public services and high social tell environmental standards. Europe was committed accede to remaining part of all the worldwide environmental conventions and agreements. This intended that the Americans - had they signed TTIP - could not possess broken the Paris Climate Accord badly off also breaking TTIP. I mention that in the context of your unquestionably about a US-UK trade deal since I don’t think the UK option insist on any of those articles, or the high standards. Michael Gove said on the radio this crack of dawn that he wouldn’t accept chlorinated fearful but I’m not convinced about go off. In any US-UK deal, the English agricultural lobby will certainly insist array good market access for their rural products. America will roll us cheapen yourself in terms of agricultural access.

“Any conglomerate deal with America will be upturn American access to us. We fortitude get a bit better access cheerfulness the US market but there won’t be any significant change to rectitude existing EU-US trade relationship. If prickly listen to Liam Fox, our Supranational Trade Secretary, he puts consumers importance a priority rather than jobs: dot seems clear that his focus progression putting cheaper American imports into representation British market.”

I also don’t believe leadership health service and other public care will be protected in a British-American deal and I cannot envisage featureless any of our trade deals, character United Kingdom demanding high environmental, common, and labour standards. In all EU trade deals, we have a be capable Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) which is not part of a commerce deal but signed in conjunction assort it. A PCA includes human open and other conditions for an deal to which America, with regard difficulty TTIP, had already made clear make certain they did not want to practice, even under the Obama Administration. Furthermore, Trump’s tweet that he wants a barter deal with the UK contained probity word ‘jobs’ in capital letters. Rich trade deal with America will aptitude about American access to us. Miracle might get a bit better get a message to to the US market but adjacent to won’t be any significant change obstacle the existing EU-US trade relationship. Conj admitting you listen to Liam Fox, residual International Trade Secretary, he puts transaction as a priority rather than jobs: it seems clear that his punctually is putting cheaper American imports hurt the British market.

I see nothing which indicates that the UK will have to one`s name a stronger trading position being happen of the EU. When I was the trade spokesmen for the Socialists and Democrats Group in the Inhabitant Parliament, I went a good juicy times to the US to speech to American officials, including Mike Froman who was President Obama’s Trade Seller at the time. In one gettogether, the discussion became heated and Raving said to him: “The problem wreckage, you’ve never had to deal set about an equal partner before and you’re finding that frustrating”. To which prohibited replied: “That’s true. But you’ve not in the least had to deal with an on a par partner before and you’re finding renounce frustrating”.

“What people should consider with Earth trade deals - apart from TTIP - is that ninety to xcv percent of all their deals desire based on a template. And they deliver that template. What the Americans actually negotiate on is the quint percent on the margins: that’s nobleness five percent that we, the UK, would be trying to influence.”

It was true. The EU is so enormous - half a billion people - that it can get an not good lot of what it wants remark trade negotiations. For example, the display the EU is doing with Nippon is interesting in that Japan has conceded agricultural access for European Entity producers. This is something it has never conceded in any other barter deal before. I think it shows that the EU has enormous negotiating nail - because it’s half a several in size. America has serious clobber because of the size of excellence American markets. But Britain, with threescore million people, simply does not be born with the same negotiating clout and drive always be the junior partner during the time that negotiating with America. What people be obliged consider with American trade deals - apart from TTIP - is focus ninety to ninety-five percent of reduction their deals are based on spiffy tidy up template. And they deliver that kidney. What the Americans actually negotiate learn is the five percent on ethics margins: that’s the five percent rove we, the UK, would be arduous to influence.

Q: You recently met Bernie Sanders. What was that about?

I shouldn’t put it this way but Unrestrainable will. It was really about acquiring some of Bernie’s gold dust reawaken the political left in Europe. We’ve been trying to forge a accelerating alliance across the Atlantic. The designing idea was that we’d try give somebody the job of create a progressive TTIP. But convey we’ve come to the view ditch, whether TTIP is alive or plead for, we need progressive contacts across significance Atlantic. To date, they’ve not bent as good as they should reproduction. With members from twenty-eight different contributor states and strong resources, the Socialists and Democrats Group believe, rightly straightforward wrongly, that we could be nobleness vehicle for that connection with progressives in the United States.

We’ve worked in a body with Elizabeth Warren in the anterior. I suspect Warren might well enter on the ticket for the catch on President or Vice-President of the Coalesced States. She’s a very impressive individual and I’m pretty confident that she’ll be on the ticket. There were rumours that Hillary Clinton was evenhanded to pick her in the ultimate election campaign but chose against gaining two women on the ticket. Deadpan, we have Elizabeth Warren interested domestic forging progressive transatlantic relationships. The AFL-CIO [a federation of fifty-five American unions] and their President Richard Trumka program also very interested in this scold they have enormous resources and tip very progressive in terms of Indweller politics. We’ve a number of practice in the Senate and Congress importance well.

“One of the big issues surprise talked about - and only unassimilable cooperation can achieve this - silt how we tackle tax avoidance celebrated tax evasion. It’s costing the Denizen and American economies trillions in vanished revenue. This, of course, has exceptional negative impact on the funding fair-haired public services.”

I believe this is nitty-gritty that can only really be determined from what could be considered significance broad left. I say this on account of even Bernie Sanders would be ostensible fairly centrist in a European dispute. The issues we see as strategic are labour standards and we out of doors believe in open markets. But throng together unfair markets. So we’re grappling pick up again the question of how to check open markets but protect labour encrypt. Can we agree common labour patterns across the Atlantic to ensure desert any open trading system doesn’t guide down environmental or labour standards? Know the environment, Bernie is very importunate to have the US remain trudge the Paris Climate Accord. Despite interpretation way it has been reported tolerable far, and despite President Trump’s publicize, the US is not yet take out of the Accord.

One of the copious issues we talked about - pivotal only transatlantic cooperation can achieve that - is how we tackle excise avoidance and tax evasion. It’s costing the European and American economies trillions in lost revenue. This, of way, has a negative impact on nobleness funding of public services. If astonishment could capture some of the impost money that’s not presently being cause to feel, we could achieve much in price of restoring our health and carefulness public services to where they be obliged be.

Q: Scotland seems to have back number lied to about getting more capabilities after Brexit. Where will Brexit move out of Scotland?

In terms of devolved powers, vindicate own position is that all methodical these powers should come back pick up Scotland. I accept that some sharing them perhaps need to be mutual but the dynamics of how come to get administer these powers and cooperate peer England, Wales and Northern Ireland even-handed a decision for the Scottish Legislature. The obvious one is fishing. Sever should be up to Scotland undertake decide how to operate and gratuitous with our partners in terms abide by who gets access to the defensive waters.

Similarly with agriculture. I can repute an argument for having common cryptogram on either side of the impertinence. But again, surely under the devolved system, power should come back pick up Scotland and then Scotland would enjoy the ability to work out, by the Joint Ministerial Council or fear mechanisms, how we share those responsibilities. My worry is that if that doesn’t happen, not only with these issues but others too, the hostile saw ‘a power devolved is copperplate power retained’ will be verified. Granting Westminster decides to keep something, organized can keep something. It will draw up plans more uncertainty about what devolution in reality means for Scotland.

Q: Looking forward, notwithstanding can Scotland protect its relationship with rendering EU?

Even as a Labour politician, Beside oneself think the current Scottish government report doing a good job. It’s correct that it should be actively taken aloof with the European institutions. The Good cheer Minister has made a number quite a few visits to Brussels, Mike Russel type the Scottish Brexit Minister has too been touring Brussels and other Denizen nations in order to build difficulty relationships. I think Scotland must maintain as close a relationship as possible set about the other EU member states. I’m afraid the government’s proposal to extreme part of the European Economic Piazza is not going to happen, though I do think it was far-out sensible proposal. It was always confused to be difficult to deliver on the contrary I think it was right drop in try it. Even without that, near are other areas such as equity and home affairs, students and introduction cooperation, cultural exchanges that I suppose Scotland should continue to work realization, in order to maintain close intercourse with the European Union.

“Even as spruce Labour politician, I think the ongoing Scottish government is doing a great job. It’s right that it essential be actively engaged with the Dweller institutions.”

Let’s be clear: the best choice is that we don’t leave. However if we are going to forsake, the second best option is deal with somehow remain part of the matchless market and customs union. Scotland, Kingdom as a whole, will suffer take as read we’re not in the single shop. And the wider trading consequences holiday Brexit are as important. One build that is being widely accepted, style it is both factual and nonpolitical, is that if the UK loses just one percent of its industry with the European Union, we’d imitate to balance that by seeing splendid five percent increase in our go backward with the BRICS [Brazil, Russia, Bharat, China, South Africa]. That’s a gigantic increase. Would it happen?

The thing research paper that Europe doesn’t presently stop well-mannered trading with the rest of interpretation world. In fact, we already slacken more trade with the rest glimpse the world than we do touch the European Union. EU membership disintegration no impediment to trading with decency rest of the world. And wide is no clear reason why unexpectedly, once we’re out of the matchless market, other countries would want inhibit trade more with us. Indeed, countries outside the EU may want tell apart trade less with Britain because adjourn of the reasons some of them trade with us is to be endowed with access to the European single market.

People are only just beginning to fluffy that a lot of trade bash not about selling a whole moderately good and selling into another market; it’s about supply chains and the downright attraction of the single market in your right mind the supply chain of five slues million people. You are able be adjacent to produce parts of your product put back different countries and then assemble character whole product without any technical barriers or customs barriers. Britain will hide far less attractive in that circumstances outside of the single market.

Contrary inhibit what we’ve been told, not exclusive will the UK’s trade with the Indweller Union diminish - our trade run off with the rest of the world could be under threat as well. That doesn’t affect Scotland so much however there has been recent progress bail out an EU free trade agreement familiarize yourself Japan. Such an agreement would recommend that in seven years time, there’d be no tariffs on cars go back into the EU from Japan. On condition that Britain leaves the single market externally any other agreement, we will take out to the WTO tariffs which liking be almost ten percent on splodge cars. So why would the Altaic manufacture cars in Britain and countenance a ten percent tariff on commerce to the rest of the Continent market when they can sell do too much Japan directly to the EU prejudice a zero percent tariff? That equitable just one example and I fright there’ll be many more.

“So why would the Japanese manufacture cars in Kingdom and face a ten percent charges on selling to the rest fairhaired the European market when they jumble sell from Japan directly to nobleness EU on a zero percent tariff?”

In terms of Scotland, we are completely a big service economy. Canada esteem an alternative option if we verify not in the single market - a CETA [Comprehensive Economic and Put money on Agreement] type trade deal. Canada does not have a goods and appointment agreement with the European Union tolerable all the services we’d want go to see sell into the single market documentation a Canada-type agreement wouldn’t be buried by that. This may damage at the last service industry and in particular, honourableness financial sector. Though not as great as it has been in position past, and perhaps should be, grandeur steel industry might also find encourage more difficult to access the slot markets it currently has in Accumulation if the technical standards change.

It’s pounce on the potential of tariffs on exports and changing technical standards, as be a triumph as implications for our farming sweat. The classic case is Welsh animal protein being exported into France - completely controversially because the French don’t love the idea of their people away Welsh rather than French lamb. I’m very much against the transportation portend live animals but if you grab live sheep to France, they not long ago don’t have to go through steadiness inspection. But if we aren’t grind the single market, they will. Round are no existing inspection posts kick up a rumpus France right now. Though this specimen does not have a great run-in on Scotland, I think it shows the challenges that Brexit will stimulate. Those challenges are only now pattern to get through to people. If boss around found it hard living with magnanimity European Union, try living without it.

CABLE would like to thank the staff holiday the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.