Euro-MP Visiting Worcester and Birmingham on final day of campaign.

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 9th Jun 2004

West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne will be touring around Worcester and Birmingham on Wednesday 9th June. She will use the final day of campaigning for the European Elections to get out and meet as many people in those areas as possible to persuade them that the European Parliament does make a difference to their lives. It is therefore important that they have strong representatives fighting for them in Brussels.

Speaking ahead of her visits the Liberal Democrat MEP said:

"Over the last five weeks I and the other Liberal Democrat candidates have been out talking to the general public and businesses listening to their concerns and explaining how the European Parliament affects them. We have had a positive response and I very much hope that we will have more Liberal Democrats representing the people of the West Midlands in Brussels after Thursday.

"The Liberal Democrat are committed to making Europe work for the people of the West Midlands. We want a European Union where decisions are taken at the lowest possible level. Leaving the EU to have influence only over decisions that cannot be taken at Local or National level.

"In the election campaigns for the European Parliament the Liberal Democrats have placed a high priority on the environment. Pollution does not respect national borders, which means we require a collective approach from all countries in Europe. Trying to tackle environmental problems on our own would have little affect. Those who want us to pull out of the European Union have yet to tell us how we would tackle issues like the environment, cross border crime and people trafficking.

"Liberal Democrats recognise that the EU, like any system of government, can and should be improved. It needs to be more democratic, more decentralised and more accountable, but so does Westminster. We can only achieve these reforms from within, not standing on the sidelines. In the last parliament Liberal Democrats were at the forefront of reform and we will continue to promote that agenda in the next five years.

"The people of the West Midlands need a strong voice representing them in the European Parliament. That is why they need to go out and vote on Thursday for a party that wants the UK influencing and making decisions at the heart of Europe. Liberal Democrat MEPs will provide that strong voice for the people of the West Midlands."

ENDS