26 October 2005 - Tony Blair’s speech to the European Parliament today was “confused and inconsistent”, according to Green MEP Caroline Lucas.

The Prime Minister said the EU should embrace increased economic globalisation in order to deal with the economic threat from China and India – but he failed to acknowledge that the very same economic globalisation was responsible for the threat in the first place,” said Dr Lucas, speaking outside the Strasbourg parliament after Mr Bair’s speech.

“He said the EU must tackle the environmental challenge – but his own government is responsible for diluting and then failing to implement those EU Directives already adopted to try and do exactly that.

“And he said the EU must find a new economic direction – but he remains wedded to the notion of economic growth at all costs, even if that growth comes at the cost of environmental degradation and devastating climate change.”

Dr Lucas, who is the Green Party’s Principal Speaker and MEP for South-East England, added: “Perhaps most confused of all is his belief that the EU can deliver even social solidarity by becoming more competitive. In reality it is the search for increased competitiveness which is all to often to blame for the hardship and unemployment whose victims are most in need of social protection policies. This just doesn’t make any sense.”

ENDS