EU GIVES GREEN LIGHT FOR GOVERNMENT TO START AGAIN

Glenis Willmott, MEP for the East Midlands and Leader of the Labour Party in Europe, recently wrote to the EU Commission, to ask if the UK Government would face any punitive measures under EU law, if the tendering process for the Thameslink contract was started again.

The Commission’s reply clearly states that the EU will not prevent the government from starting the process again.

Furthermore, it is suggested that the government could have taken local social considerations into account when making the decision.

Mrs Willmott said:

"I wrote to the EU Commission because I was worried about the jobs of workers at Bombardier, and frustrated that government Ministers were shirking their responsibilities and blaming everyone else for a decision that they have made.

"The government were aware that EU law would not interfere with a restart of the process, when Jonathan Faull told the Transport select committee that the government could start the tendering process again, and that the EU would not stop or punish them for doing so.

"The answer that I have received from the Commission clearly confirms this and so the government cannot use the EU as an excuse anymore.”

The decision to give the Thameslink contract to Siemens as opposed to Bombardier was made simply on the basis of the lowest price, without taking into account important social and economic considerations. This decision could be disastrous for workers at Bombardier, and will have a negative impact on the local economy.

Mrs Willmott went on to say:

"Thousands of highly skilled workers could lose their jobs at Bombardier, and the Transport Secretary is in a privileged position to save them, and the answer from the EU Commission gives her the green light to do so."