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Local MEP hits out at ‘ridiculous’ European driving licence
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UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom today branded plans to replace the UK driving licence with a new European licence ‘a ridiculous waste of taxpayers’ money’. The Council of Ministers has agreed to begin phasing in the new licences within the next 6 years, and the British driving licence will disappear shortly afterwards. EU Transport Commissioner Jaques Barrot claimed that "The European driving licence is of vital importance for road safety and for the fight against fraud1".
But local MEP Godfrey Bloom asked “Don’t we have better things to spend our transport budget on? If the government wanted to improve road safety, why doesn’t it make sure that our roads are safe to drive on? Why not invest in better public transport?”
The Department of Transport claims that “What we want is for police to be able to see that someone has an entitlement to drive here”2. Godfrey responds “The police are perfectly capable of checking foreign licences, as they will still have to do for non-EU countries anyway. Police officers don’t believe there’s a problem, but the Department of Transport wants to impose an expensive, unwanted solution anyway.”
The UK Independence Party will oppose the changes when they are debated in the European Parliament. A UKIP spokesman said “The EU must not be allowed to continue interfering in people’s lives like this. There is always an excuse for these expensive projects designed to give power away to a distant Brussels government. We will work together with like-minded parties in other countries to try to put a halt to this dangerous idea.”
For more information contact:
Godfrey Bloom MEP 01757 630778 / 07901 710518
Jonathan Arnott (Press Officer) 0114 2645656 / 07732 857339
Notes to Editors:
1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4849330.stm
2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4825130.stm |
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