James Daniels

I’m a candidate for the East Midlands constituency in the European elections on June 4th. I come from Lincolnshire, I have 3 daughters and am a professional engineer. I’ve become involved in politics because I believe that as database and surveillance technology advance and it becomes ever more feasible for the state to monitor its citizens, the more important it becomes that our governing bodies be open, transparent and accountable.

The EU has grown out of an organization designed to regulate trade. Its institutions are not open, transparent or accountable.

After the so called European Constitution was rejected by voters in France and the Netherlands, that is, after the voters gave the wrong answer, it was resurrected with minimal changes as the Lisbon Treaty. I do not believe that this is acceptable, “No” should mean “No”.

Libertas was founded to organize the “No” campaign in the Irish Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Having won that vote, it has now established independent branches across the EU to become the first pan-European party to contest the European Elections. I joined it because I perceive it to be a grass roots movement which can tell the career politicians that enough is enough.

I joined Libertas to campaign for open, transparent and accountable government of the EU, rather than secretive political deals. I joined and am giving up my time, because I want to see democratic decisions respected, and an end to the contempt with which our political elites treat us all. And I joined because I want to see the EU slimmed down so that it stops intruding so much into ordinary people’s lives and stops spending so much of their hard earned money.