It was on this day in 1950 that a French Minister by the name of Robert Schuman announced a plan for managing coal and steel production between Germany and France. In the aftermath of the Second World War, Schuman believed that if the leaders of Europe could pool control over the raw materials of the weapons industry - steel and coal – then the likelihood of further war in Europe would be drastically reduced. It was a visionary plan that has led to six decades of peace in Europe, and it began the process that created today's European Union.
Margot wrote that Europe is essentially about the triumph of reason over passion:
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/margot-wallstrom-so-who-says-the-eu-is-boring-1681015.html
It took a fair amount of passion – as well as reason – for me and my daughters to brave the weather today and campaign on the streets of Morningside in Edinburgh. With David Martin (Member of the European Parliament and heading the Labour list in Scotland for the 4th June elections http://www.martinmep.com/ ) and local party stalwarts we spent Europe Day 2009 putting the case for a Labour vote in June.
Three highlights of Europe Day 2009 for me were:
(1) the local returning officer’s perfect timing in ensuring that the polling cards calling us to vote on 4th June arrived through the post on Europe Day.
(2) canvassing a voter in Morningside who explained that she likes Labour but that – as a Swede – she will vote by post in Sweden … imagine how surprised she was that as a Scottish Labour candidate I could engage her in detailed discussion in Swedish on why she should vote Social Democrat at home next month!
(3) my daughters are campaign naturals … give them a bag of Party of European Socialist balloons and they will hoover up the support of the local kids at least.
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