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| EU warns Tories that UK security opt-out 'doesn't make sense' | EU warns Tories that UK security opt-out 'doesn't make sense' |
| (8 days later) | |
| Conservative plans to opt out of EU police and justice co-operation are nonsensical and risk leaving the UK sidelined on security issues, the European commission has warned. | Conservative plans to opt out of EU police and justice co-operation are nonsensical and risk leaving the UK sidelined on security issues, the European commission has warned. |
| In a strongly worded criticism of Tory proposals, the EU justice commissioner, Viviane Reding, said Britain's response to the international horsemeat scandal would be imperilled if ministers succeed in withdrawing from EU law and policing co-operation. | In a strongly worded criticism of Tory proposals, the EU justice commissioner, Viviane Reding, said Britain's response to the international horsemeat scandal would be imperilled if ministers succeed in withdrawing from EU law and policing co-operation. |
| "Look at horsemeat," the Luxembourg politician said. "British ministers have gone to Europol to ask for help at the same time that Britain is asking for an opt-out. It simply doesn't make sense." | "Look at horsemeat," the Luxembourg politician said. "British ministers have gone to Europol to ask for help at the same time that Britain is asking for an opt-out. It simply doesn't make sense." |
| Last autumn the home secretary, Theresa May, told the Commons the government intended to exercise Britain's opt-out more from than 100 police and criminal justice measures under the banner of "repatriating British powers from Brussels". | Last autumn the home secretary, Theresa May, told the Commons the government intended to exercise Britain's opt-out more from than 100 police and criminal justice measures under the banner of "repatriating British powers from Brussels". |
| Liberal Democrats have opposed the initiative, which would involve the UK withdrawing from 133 EU law and policing measures – before opting back into some of them. | Liberal Democrats have opposed the initiative, which would involve the UK withdrawing from 133 EU law and policing measures – before opting back into some of them. |
| "It's going to damage Britain," Reding said. "All these elements of collaboration between security forces and police co-operation have been built up in order to combat crime and catch criminals … everyone has said this will result in the UK being sidelined." | "It's going to damage Britain," Reding said. "All these elements of collaboration between security forces and police co-operation have been built up in order to combat crime and catch criminals … everyone has said this will result in the UK being sidelined." |
| Reding pointed out that in 2010 the UK sent out European arrest warrants for 256 people, which resulted in 116 people being extradited to face justice in the UK. One of the men who attempted to bomb the London transport network on 21 July 2005, Hussein Osman, was detained in Italy and returned within a few weeks to the UK through the system. | Reding pointed out that in 2010 the UK sent out European arrest warrants for 256 people, which resulted in 116 people being extradited to face justice in the UK. One of the men who attempted to bomb the London transport network on 21 July 2005, Hussein Osman, was detained in Italy and returned within a few weeks to the UK through the system. |
| Opting out would not be "automatic", could cost the UK a large sum in compensation and might leave an interim period when there was no co-operation at all, she warned. | Opting out would not be "automatic", could cost the UK a large sum in compensation and might leave an interim period when there was no co-operation at all, she warned. |
| "The consequences of this will have to be analysed by the European commission," Reding added. "We will have to see what practical arrangements there are. There may be financial damage, for example over withdrawing from shared IT systems. They will have to be paid by the UK. | "The consequences of this will have to be analysed by the European commission," Reding added. "We will have to see what practical arrangements there are. There may be financial damage, for example over withdrawing from shared IT systems. They will have to be paid by the UK. |
| "It will be complex, time-consuming, leave a lot of legal uncertainty and a lot of problems. It's not going to be automatic. The arrest warrant, for example, goes with transfer of prisoner arrangements. You can't have one without the other … this is a British decision [but] it is not a wise one." | "It will be complex, time-consuming, leave a lot of legal uncertainty and a lot of problems. It's not going to be automatic. The arrest warrant, for example, goes with transfer of prisoner arrangements. You can't have one without the other … this is a British decision [but] it is not a wise one." |
| Reding said she had spoken to the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, about the initiative. "I have told him this already. I'm not sure this makes me very popular." | Reding said she had spoken to the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, about the initiative. "I have told him this already. I'm not sure this makes me very popular." |
| She also criticised Grayling for his suggestion that the UK could leave the European court of human rights rather than submit itself to creeping, judicial expansion of the human rights convention. "The Uk has a long tradition of human rights and fundamental charters like Magna Carta," she pointed out. "Britain should stay inside and reform, not sideline itself. Don't put yourself on the bench, play football in the team." | She also criticised Grayling for his suggestion that the UK could leave the European court of human rights rather than submit itself to creeping, judicial expansion of the human rights convention. "The Uk has a long tradition of human rights and fundamental charters like Magna Carta," she pointed out. "Britain should stay inside and reform, not sideline itself. Don't put yourself on the bench, play football in the team." |
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