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EU justice opt-out would weaken UK crime-fighting, says Charles Clarke EU justice opt-out would weaken UK crime-fighting, says Charles Clarke
(35 minutes later)
Britain will "unilaterally" weaken its ability to fight crime if the government opts out of a series of EU justice measures, the former home secretary Charles Clarke has warned.Britain will "unilaterally" weaken its ability to fight crime if the government opts out of a series of EU justice measures, the former home secretary Charles Clarke has warned.
On the eve of David Cameron's landmark speech on Britain and the EU, Clarke said it would be a "terrible idea" to weaken British links with its European partners in criminal justice.On the eve of David Cameron's landmark speech on Britain and the EU, Clarke said it would be a "terrible idea" to weaken British links with its European partners in criminal justice.
In his speech on Wednesday the prime minister will outline plans to hold a referendum on new terms for Britain's membership of the EU – to be negotiated if the Lisbon treaty is revised as part of an overhaul of the eurozone – if he wins the 2015 general election. In his speech on Wednesday the prime minister will outline plans to hold a referendum on new terms for UK membership of the EU – to be negotiated if the Lisbon treaty is revised as part of an overhaul of the eurozone – if he wins the 2015 general election.
He faces a more immediate challenge over Europe as Britain prepares to opt out of all 130 EU criminal justice measures next year. Nick Clegg, who has agreed with the initial opt-out, is pressing hard for Britain to opt back into a large number of measures covering the European arrest warrant (EAW) and Europol. This is being resisted by the prime minister. He faces a more immediate challenge over Europe as Britain prepares to opt out of all 130 EU criminal justice measures next year. Nick Clegg, who has agreed with the initial opt-out, is pressing hard for Britain to opt back into a large number of measures covering to the European arrest warrant (EAW) and Europol. This is being resisted by the prime minister.
Clarke takes issues with the entire government approach, saying it would be wrong even to opt out at the first stage. "What the EU arrangements that currently exist allow us to do is to maximise our strength in contesting that criminality," Clarke said. "For us to pull out of that would unilaterally weaken our ability to fight crime. That is why I think it is such a terrible idea to think that pulling out of the JHA [justice and home affairs measures] has any benefit to the British people."Clarke takes issues with the entire government approach, saying it would be wrong even to opt out at the first stage. "What the EU arrangements that currently exist allow us to do is to maximise our strength in contesting that criminality," Clarke said. "For us to pull out of that would unilaterally weaken our ability to fight crime. That is why I think it is such a terrible idea to think that pulling out of the JHA [justice and home affairs measures] has any benefit to the British people."
In a video interview with Justice Across Borders, a new group campaigning against the opt-outs, the former home secretary added: "The fact is that the main measures that are there, things like the European arrest warrant, are things which most people in the British government think are necessary in helping and enforcing the fight against crime. To opt out of it and then to opt back into it is incoherent in itself. In a video interview with Justice Across Borders, a new group campaigning against the opt-outs, he added: "The fact is that the main measures that are there, things like the European arrest warrant, are things which most people in the British government think are necessary in helping and enforcing the fight against crime. To opt out of it and then to opt back into it is incoherent in itself.
"More seriously I think there are no guarantees at all that we would be able to opt back into any of those particular measures once we had opted out. There are a lot of people in the rest of Europe now who think: 'Well, we'll just let Britain get on with it if that's the way they want to operate.' So I don't think anybody who has assumed we would automatically be able to get the co-operations we want by opting back in is right. I don't think there's any guarantees in that area at all.""More seriously I think there are no guarantees at all that we would be able to opt back into any of those particular measures once we had opted out. There are a lot of people in the rest of Europe now who think: 'Well, we'll just let Britain get on with it if that's the way they want to operate.' So I don't think anybody who has assumed we would automatically be able to get the co-operations we want by opting back in is right. I don't think there's any guarantees in that area at all."
The Association of Chief Police Officers has warned of the dangers of opting out of the EAW and other measures. In a submission to a House of Lords EU subcommittee's inquiry into the opt-outs, the association said : "Most of the stakeholders consulted believe that opting out of this and relying on alternative arrangements would result in fewer extraditions, longer delays, higher costs, more offenders evading justice and increased risk to public safety." The Association of Chief Police Officers has warned of the dangers of opting out of the EAW and other measures. In a submission to a House of Lords EU subcommittee inquiry into the opt-outs, the association said: "Most of the stakeholders consulted believe that opting out of this and relying on alternative arrangements would result in fewer extraditions, longer delays, higher costs, more offenders evading justice and increased risk to public safety."
Last year Clegg told the prime minister that the police and MI5, which want to retain British involvement in most of the justice measures, should be given a veto. The deputy prime minister said: "We will led by the experts and the evidence at all time." Last year Clegg told Cameron that the police and MI5, which want to retain UK involvement in most of the justice measures, should be given a veto. The deputy prime minister said: "We will led by the experts and the evidence at all time."
Clarke said: "The first priority of any British government is to provide for the security of the citizens of the country, and at the moment in the criminal field all the major activity is international, whether you're talking about international people trafficking, drug dealing, whether you're talking about illegal migration or whether you're talking about counter-terrorism. These are all international activities, not something that happens just in this country." Clarke said: "The first priority of any British government is to provide for the security of the citizens of the country, and at the moment in the criminal field all the major activity is international, whether you're talking about international people trafficking, drug dealing, whether you're talking about illegal migration or whether you're talking about counter-terrorism. These are all international activities, not something that happens just in this country."