Hello, my name is Kevin O’Connell and I’m a Libertas candidate for the South East region in the European Elections on June 4th later this year. I’m fighting in this election because I’m concerned about the state of democratic accountability in the EU. I want to strengthen the EU by making it more accountable to elected representatives who come from the real world and who can deliver more EU cooperation with less waste. I believe in the European Union, but I think it is time to clear away the clouds of mystery that surround it. In this time of global financial turmoil, EU institutions must be made to deliver real benefits, not just talk about them.
I am married with three adult children. I trained as a linguist, but over the past 30 years I have worked in different disciplines of the police at nearly every rank. I was a senior police officer in London and one of the directors of the European Police Office (Europol) for four years after that. I have always worked towards maintaining a just society for all and have always been committed to protecting individual rights, even when I held major responsibilities for national security. I know that effective cooperation through the EU can increase our national security, but this will not happen if the EU institutions allow unnecessary secrecy, laziness and cynicism to slow things down.
I am a recognized expert in international law-enforcement and have participated in many academic bodies as well as operational ones. I want to see the EU produce better solutions for sharing information about human trafficking and other forms of serious organised crime. I have joined Libertas because I think that real change will only come from better democratic accountability. The EU makes well-written plans, but as many people in the real world know, having a good plan is one thing, putting it into action is much harder. I want to make sure that things get done. I have held high positions in the policing world and I want to bring this experience to the European Parliament in 2009.
The priority of Libertas is to ensure that EVERY penny spent by Europe demonstrates value-for-money. The EU needs creativity, good business sense and the willingness to take stock and change if necessary. It doesn’t operate that way at the moment. Libertas will make the EU open and accountable like never before. We want to publicise the way decisions are made and who makes them, so that we can make Europe work for the people.
Because Europe is simply unknown to most people, I want to be part of a grassroots movement that gives Europe back to its people. That is why I ask you to vote for me and the new, pan-European party Libertas on June 4th.
Thank you,
Kevin O’Connell
We have had no leaflets through the doors. How do you expect to get the vote out?
ReplyDeleteEven without the present scandals Libertas is a step ahead of its time. What we have in Europe at the moment is a group of countries with MEP`s just fighting for their own country`s interests. (Well theoretically at least) A Pan-European Party should be a natural evolution in Europe binding the country`s together to achieve mutual objectives. Congratulations Libertas in being ahaed of your time. John Kearney
ReplyDeleteJohn Stych
ReplyDeleteLeaflets are going out all over the South East. Hope have receiveo by now Kevin
John Kearney,
ReplyDeleteI think that there will always be an element of each member state seeking to improve its own interest within the EU, but there are simply too many opportunities for gatting shared benefits that are being missed by poor implementation of plans. This must change if any country is to stand a chance of getting value for money.
Kevin
There is a lot of confusion about the UK's net contribution to the EU. It's important to know this when discussing value for money or even when discussing whether the political parties should be telling you more about what's going on. The Treasury says it isn't much, but why don't you decide?
ReplyDeleteThe net UK contribution to the EU coffers in 2009 - 2010 will be £6.064 billion and this will rise to £6.401 billion the following year. That is £100 per year for every man woman and child in the UK.
Source HM Treasury http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/european_community_finances_2008.pdf (page 24)
We will provide you with more information about how your money is spent than any other party has managed to do until now.
Why are some of the candidates for the South East on my voting slip different to those on your website?
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Graham Leon-Smith does not appear in a photograph and David Craig is the pen name of Neil Glass.
I have noticed that there are two substitutions on the south east ballot people. In practice this will not matter as the number of candidates elected is not likely to be more than one or two, depending the number of votes cast for the party.
ReplyDeleteNo 1 on the list, Kevin O'Connell would be the first to be elected and No 2 Daniel Hill if there are sufficient votes.
None of the candidates seem to have put in place a process to answer individual questions from voters on particular issues.
ReplyDeleteI need to knaw how they stand on the issues that concern me.
Got leaflet. no name or details of candidate
ReplyDeleteHi, I am a potential libertas voter (though still wavering) in the south east. I certainly dont want to vote UKIP (to me they seem pointless) and I agree with what seems to be the fundamental principle of libertas in a european wide party for change, but still focused on national identities being preserved. But I cannot find much depth on this site as to your details on how you might change europe for the better. Is there a libertas manifesto that gives more details? This may encourage me and potentially others to vote for your party.
ReplyDeleteTony Joselin
Tony Joselin
ReplyDeleteWe simply support the concept of structured cooperation within a pre-Lisbon context that is actuallt made to work. We do not believe in the creation of more power for Brussels while the institutions of the EU fail to operate democratically. We want to change the democratic deficit before moving on to new initiatives.
l, too, have received your leaflet without a name to vote for. Why ? Other leaflets received always named a candidate
ReplyDeleteSorry Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI have only just seen your post of 2 June. The European Elections require you to choose a party not a andidate. Most people wish that this could be improved to reduce the gap between voters and the EU institutions.