Wales’ first female Tory MEP hits out

Apr 23 2008 by Martin Shipton, Western Mail

Wales’ first Tory MEP tells Martin Shipton why she wanted an ‘open and fair ballot’ instead of current women-first policy

THE woman who will next year become Wales’ first female Conservative MEP has admitted she disapproves of the positive discrimination that ensured her selection.

Welsh speaker Kay Swinburne is guaranteed a seat in the European Parliament because she has been awarded the number one slot on the Tory list for the June 2009 election.

Since 1999, Euro-MPs have been elected by a system of proportional representation. The current Conservative MEP for Wales, Jonathan Evans, is standing down to fight Cardiff North at the next general election.

Under a new party rule introduced with the backing of David Cameron, number one slots are reserved for women where a sitting MEP is not standing again.

Dr Swinburne, a health economist originally from Llandysul, Carmarthenshire, who currently lives in Ledbury, Herefordshire, where she is Mayor, actually came second in the party ballot behind barrister Evan Price, from Crickhowell.

She was elevated to top position on the party list because of the “women first” rule.

In her first interview since being selected, Dr Swinburne told the Western Mail: “Within the Conservative Party we are probably under-represented by women. I understand that our only female MEP is retiring.

“However I can hand on heart tell you that I campaigned with senior members of our party to not have the system we have just gone through with our members’ ballot.

“I didn’t approve of any automatic first ranking being given to a female candidate, and would have preferred an open and fair ballot where we would have been able to go round and speak at hustings to convince members of our merits. But that’s a personal opinion. I signed up to the rules as they were.

“I spoke to my colleagues who were also on the list to make sure we were all comfortable with the rules as they were – and we were.

“We all signed up and we’ve accepted the result of it. I do believe we have a chance to get a second Conservative MEP elected in Wales, and I will be working over the next year to try and achieve that.”

When it was put to her that she had been a beneficiary of a system she disapproves of, Dr Swinburne said: “I think that’s often true in life.”

Asked how she responded to those who criticised her selection because she lives outside Wales, she said: “There’s a phrase in Welsh which roughly translates, ‘The best Welshman is a Welshman away from home’.

“I think it’s fair to say that when you think about the issues that Wales faces, I can relate to Wales because I was born and raised here, but when I’m away from Wales I have perspective.

“I’ve worked internationally and I see Wales in that international context, and therefore I think I can add a lot by looking at Wales now and seeing where I think it might be able to get to.”

Outlining her stance on Europe, she said: “Wales has a very strong position to play within Europe, and it will be my job if I get elected to make sure Wales gets every advantage it possibly can from being part of Europe.

“The signing of the Lisbon Treaty fundamentally changes the relationship that the UK has with Europe, and therefore, as the party has stated, we are in favour of a referendum being called. It’s fair to say that when you look at certain aspects of the Lisbon Treaty, it does give away national powers, almost by the back door.

“There are issues within the finance aspect of the Lisbon Treaty where we have to be very careful that we’re not giving away certain powers with regard to the tax situation and our financial products.

“If they go, or are modified, without anyone realising it, we could actually see the end of the City of London as we now know it. The financial houses are there because of certain tax breaks that are given.

“If those disappear, there’s no saying that Frankfurt or Paris couldn’t take over as the European financial centre.

“There are certain implications within the Lisbon Treaty for health care.

“It would be quite frightening if the NHS, which is free at the point of care for anyone who needs it, could suddenly just get opened up to the whole of Europe, just by virtue of the Lisbon Treaty being signed and certain powers being handed over without realising the implications.”

Dr Swinburne said she had previously made seven unsuccessful bids to be selected as a parliamentary candidate.

Asked whether she would prefer to be in Westminster or Brussels, she said: “My background in business and finance means I’ve actually worked all across Europe.

“The key for me is making a difference, and whether that’s in the European political sphere or in Westminster, I’m equally comfortable with either of them.

“Some would say my experience in Europe probably places my skill set more there than in the Westminster sphere.”

In 2000, Dr Swinburne received widespread publicity after winning a £1m settlement against her former employer Deutsche Bank because of sexist bullying by her boss.

She is unable to discuss the case as part of the settlement.