It was almost two weeks ago that the Prime Minister asked me to join the new coalition Government as Minister for Europe at the Foreign Office. Within two hours I was in my new office meeting my staff and planning briefings.
I last worked in the FCO 20 years ago, when I was political adviser to Douglas Hurd. But now I am here not only to advise the Foreign Secretary but to take decisions on behalf of the Government and the British people.
I spent most of my first week in briefing meetings on the key issues, and phone calls to my European counterparts. Europe has often been a tricky issue to manage within my party. Our coalition agreement with the Liberal Democrats brings its challenges, but the Government has agreed a clear policy: a vigorous defence of UK interests in Europe, coupled with a determination to make the EU a success.
I’ve already made one visit overseas. To Poland to engage with countries in the region. Whilst there was a formal agenda for discussion it was also useful to see so many of my European counterparts face to face.
Every six months a different EU member state assumes an overall Presidency role with the chance to chair key meetings and shape the overall EU agenda. It’s currently with Spain. Yesterday the Spanish Europe Minister, Diego Lopez Garrido, came to London for an introductory breakfast meeting. We discussed a wide range of issues from the work of the EU over the next ten years to plans for an extra UK Member of the European Parliament.
A video of this is below. ( For an English translation of Minister Lopez Garrido’s comments scroll to the bottom of this blog post)
I’m currently working out my key areas to focus on in the coming months. It will also be important to visit various parts of Europe and, of course, to fulfill my Parliamentary commitments to full and proper discussion and scrutiny of Europe and other foreign policy issues.
I’ll look to update this blog following key meetings and visits. Please use the comment facility to tell me what you think.
English translation of Minister Lopez Garrido’s comments:
My name is Diego López Garrido. I am the Minister of State for Europe in Spain. And I am currently leading, together with the Government of Spain and Foreign Secretary Mr Moratinos, the Presidency of the European Council. This semester Spain chairs the European Union’s Council and has a special responsibility. In addition to that, we have a special relationship with the UK which is probably the country with the largest share of Spanish foreign investment. Spain is the country most visited by British tourists. In other words, there is a very close relationship at government level but also between the British and Spanish peoples. This is why is important that the UK and Spain have similar points of view, which we have, about what Europe represents. It is important that we work together in Europe. We are all part of the same project, a project based on common objectives but also on the absolute respect for the diversity of every country and ultimately based on the defence of national interests as part of overall European interests. I think this is the objective and the role of a Minister for Europe, to defend the interests of his/her country knowing that these interests, at this moment in time, coincide with those of Europe which is one of our greatest supports as we are going through a hard-hitting crisis that affects people’s lives and their jobs, and this is why is important, more than ever, that countries like the UK and Spain cooperate within the EU.