MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Gibraltar MEP leader of UK Tories delegation to the European Parliament
A staunch supporter of Gibraltar’s British sovereignty, Mr Fox has been MEP for the South West and Gibraltar since 2009. Gibraltar MEP Ashley Fox was elected this week leader of the British Conservative delegation in the European Parliament, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.
Mr Fox was elected in a ballot of his colleagues after former delegation leader Syed Kamall stood down to concentrate on his role as leader of the European Conservatives and Reformists group - now the third-biggest grouping in the European Parliament.
A staunch supporter of Gibraltar’s British sovereignty, Mr Fox has been MEP for the South West and Gibraltar since 2009.
Mr Fox has applied constant pressure to both the EU Commission and the UK Foreign Office for a robust response to Spanish incursions into British waters and excessive border controls.
Following his election, Mr Fox said: “I feel truly honored to have been chosen by my colleagues to lead them. My priority will be to drive forward the Prime Minister’s reform agenda, so that Britain can renegotiate its relationship with the EU. Then a Conservative government will put that new deal to the British people in a referendum.
“Europe has to change and its people are crying out for that change. I will work to form alliances across nationalities and across political divisions to ensure that reform is central to all we do.
“I will ensure that Conservative MEPs continue to bear down on EU waste and miss-spending and keep up pressure to cut the EU’s cost to taxpayers. We will fight to slash the over-regulation that comes out of Brussels and hamstrings business - especially the small enterprises that should be the lifeblood of economic revival.
“Of course, I shall not forget my duty to promote the interests of the people of the South West and to defend Gibraltar and its people from Spanish aggression.”
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules-
-
-
Read all commentsThe EU will not change,
Nov 27th, 2014 - 12:20 pm 0the out going leader has stated that point very clearly,
he also pointed out very clearly that the unmighty EU will survive and proceed on course without the British,
but not without the French,
a clear saying to Cameron if any was needed , we are not wanted or welcome,
so the sooner we leave the better, instead or trying anything to stay in..
just a thought.
In 142 years, Britain saved Europe THREE times. Why did we bother? Circumstances change but nothing can deny that France tried to subjugate Europe once and Germany tried to do it twice. And who do we allow to 'lead' the European Union? France and Germany. Who else is in the frame? Spain! As ever, incompetent and broke. Despite the reduction in forces' strength that everyone bemoans, Britain could crush spain in weeks. Britain could deploy 204 to 361 combat aircraft. Spain can manage 129. Britain can deploy 29 warships. In comparable classes, spain could manage 12. On land, Britain can deploy 116,000 combat-trained and experienced troops. The spanish army only has 75,000 personnel. Doubtful if spain could manage as many as 11,000 of the same quality. How many times has Britain defeated France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy? The FACT is that Europe is incompetent. The only time any part of it has shown any 'direction' has been when it has been under British control. What a shame that Britain didn't take the right action in 1945/6. The 'next' British Empire! Why didn't we do it? After 6 years of war, Britain was tired. We thought that Europeans would have learned. They didn't. They still haven't. Britain needs to be OUT of the EU. So that, when it all happens again, we can stand on the sidelines and watch. And laugh. Who cares what happens to Austrians, Belgians, Bulgarians, Croatians, Cypriots, Czechs, Danes, Dutch, Estonians, Finns, French, Germans, Greeks, Hungarians, Irish, Italians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Maltese, Poles, Portuguese, Romanians, Slovaks, Slovenes, spaniards and/or Swedes. All pretty useless and selfish. What is it about Britain that makes it save what isn't worth saving? What is it that makes us spend our lives? Time to let the EU go its own way without us. I can't think of a single EU thing that makes life in Britain better. But I can think of many EU things that make life in Britain worse.
Nov 27th, 2014 - 02:38 pm 0@2
Nov 27th, 2014 - 03:50 pm 0So this this the country that lost 3 of 4 conflicts with Argentina.
I knew the British were useless, now I have learned with the obliged Sequitur that if Argentina humiliated Britain three of four times in battle, saved it twice (once in World War I with unlimited raw materials, then in WWII with millions of pounds of Corn beef for the starving masses), yet Britain did all that to the Euros... that that Euros are doubly useless compared to Argentina.
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!