Anneliese Dodds MEP the South East’S Voice in Europe News from Your Labour MEP - May 2017

Anneliese Dodds MEP The South East’s Voice in Europe News from your Labour MEP - May 2017

After 9 months of discussion, debate and argument, Article 50 was triggered by Theresa May on March 29th. I know this marks the start of a negotiation period that will lead to more uncertainty and worry for some people in the South East. I, for one, was not expecting a senior Conservative politician to start threatening a potential war with Spain over Gibraltar within days of Article 50 being triggered! Thank you for all your messages and correspondence on Brexit. I am working to try and support all constituents who have raised Brexit-related issues with me and my team. Please check out the ‘Negotiation news’ and ‘Anneliese’s news’ sections of my website for the latest on Brexit and what it means for the South East.

Event with German MEP to discuss Britain’s role in a post-Brexit EU

I recently held a discussion with Jakob von Weizsacker MEP, a German colleague, to discuss Britain’s role in Europe. Issues discussed included Brexit, security and terrorism, Franco-German relations and the rights of EU nationals. The event was very well attended and it was a pleasure to welcome Jakob and his partner to the South East. I have also been pleased to welcome my colleague Ana Gomes MEP to our region, from Portugal. Before, during, and after Brexit, it is hugely important that we keep up the dialogue with our European friends and colleagues, as we look to foster new relationships and ways to work with each other. The EU will continue to remain one of Britain’s key partners post-Brexit, and it is important to continue conversations that foster the spirit of co-operation and solidarity. Working to get the best deal for local universities I have been meeting with Vice-Chancellors from universities across the region so that I can lobby the Government to make sure that we do not lose vital research and education infrastructure from our region. Higher education and science are huge employers in the South East, but they have not yet been given the prominence they deserve in the government’s negotiation agenda. I have visited the University of Portsmouth and the Open University, spoken to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton and will be visiting the Universities of Kent, Sussex and Oxford Brookes soon. The number of EU students coming to the UK has already fallen since the referendum. Universities are deeply concerned about what the future will hold for their European staff members. Vice-Chancellors are also concerned about their access to research funds post-Brexit, as well as already seeing a fall in the number of cross-border research projects.. I have met with the responsible Conservative Minister to explain how and why it needs to change its current complacent approach to scientific cooperation within the Brexit negotiations.

There are vital elections on the 4th May and the 8th June. Please support your local Labour candidates and follow @SELabour for twitter updates. Active in Britain and Brussels

Working internationally against money laundering and tax evasion

I have recently returned from a trip to the USA where, along with other members of the PANA Committee (set up to investigate the Panama Papers and the revelations about tax evasion) I met with representatives from the US Treasury Department, the FACT Coalition – which brings together over 100 US organisations looking to close tax loopholes- and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists – who broke the Panama Papers story. We need strong international collaboration to work to close tax haven loopholes, end the abuse of anonymous shell companies, and curb money laundering. It is vital that we don’t allow the more gung-ho Brexiteers to push for the UK to become a low regulation tax-haven and create more loopholes to enable yet more tax avoidance and evasion. Visit from students from Thames Ditton

I was delighted to welcome a really engaged group of students from Thames Ditton in Surrey to the European Parliament. We had a great conversation about the work of the Parliament and the possible effects of Brexit on them and their futures, and they enjoyed a full tour of the Parliament building. They were very informed about the European Union and asked some really challenging questions about what the future may hold for them.

Visiting the London Stock Exchange

As part of my role on the EU’s ECON and TAXE committees, I met with representatives from the London Stock Exchange to discuss how Brexit could affect their work and Britain’s position as the pre-eminent financial centre for Europe. We also discussed how to ensure post-crisis international financial regulation stays intact and how to help small and medium enterprises grow. We need to keep finance-related jobs here in Britain, but we also need a new deal which ensures the City acts responsibly, so that British taxpayers are never again expected to bail out the banks. A pamphlet I produced arguing for the government to promote this new deal and stop Brexit from being an excuse to rip up regulations has been welcomed by many campaigning organisations, charities and businesses.

Human Rights Update

I was disappointed to see that April 3rd marked a year since Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was detained in Iran on dubious spying charges. I will continue to lobby for her release so that she can be reunited with her husband and young daughter.] This is one of many human rights issues which I have been raising in the European Parliament. Helping constituents Unlike UKIP MEPs, I am working hard across our whole region and in the European Parliament on the issues constituents tell me matter most to them.

So far this calendar year, I have responded to over 25,500 constituents’ letters and emails on a wide range of casework and policy issues with 89% rating these replies as very good or excellent.

The word cloud highlights some of the issues recently raised with me: On your side Article 50 DieselGate Rabbit farming Company Takeovers Human Rights Glyphosate European Citizenship for British nationals CETA

Campaigning for Labour I am regularly out on the doorstep across our region speaking with South East residents and campaigning for Labour. I’ve recently been campaigning on the NHS campaign days and will be supporting Labour’s local and general election candidates over the next few weeks. If you’re able to help campaign for Labour then please let me know and I will put you in touch with your local Labour campaign team.

I am also very keen to support as many Labour South East fundraisers #LabourDoorstep and events as possible. If you would like me to support your Labour Party fundraiser then please get in touch.

Keeping in touch Like www.Facebook.com/AnnelieseDoddsMEP Follow @AnnelieseDodds Watch www.YouTube.com/AnnelieseDoddsMEP

You can contact me about issues relating to my work as your Labour MEP for the South East via [email protected]. For Labour party issues please email [email protected].