Angela Watkinson
Campaigns
Angela is an active campaigner against the liberalisation of our drug laws. She believes that the provision of unlimited drug withdrawal and rehabilitation treatment for addicts cannot possibly succeed alone in combating the overall problem of illegal drug use. Robust prevention policies are needed to prevent every cured addict being replaced by two new ones.
The government have failed miserably by sending out the wrong messages to young, impressionable people. Reclassifying Cannabis from class B to C has been disastrous, as many now think that it is either harmless or legal. Despite the number of fatalities from Ecstasy, its reclassification from class A to B is now under consideration. Many educational publications are simply instruction manuals, complete with illustrations. If pupils don't know how to do it before they read the booklet they certainly will afterwards.
There is nothing glamorous about drug addiction. The message is loud and clear, the price of the pursuit of 'fun' is all to often a shortened lifetime of ill health, inability to work or function normally and the loss of family and friends. It simply isn't worth the risk.
- Workplace and Roadside Drug Testing
- MP calls on government to axe funding for 'drug pushing' agency
- More government booklets encouraging drug use add fuel to MP's campaign
- MP calls on Parliament to back Bill to ban driving while on drugs
- Speech in the House of Commons, 20 January 2003
- Speech in the House of Commons, 13 January 2003
- Speech in the House of Commons, 13 January 2003
- Speech in the House of Commons, 10 July 2002
Europe
Angela believes that this is by far the most significant issue of our time. Important as all the other issues are - health, education, transport, law and order etc - the freedom of the British government to make decisions on them will depend on the outcome of our future relationship with Europe.
Angela wants to see a lightly regulated Europe of independent, self governing good neighbours, not a centrally controlled country called Europe with laws and powers that supersede our own. For this reason, Angela opposes totally joining the single currency and the European constitution. The unwritten British constitution has always provided that no government will ever pass an act or sign a treaty that a successor government can never repeal or revoke. The abolition of a national currency IS irreversible - it is a point of no return. From that moment, the EU and only the EU would be in charge.
The effect of signing up to the European constitution, on our national sovereignty and freedom, would be so profound that it should only be done with the overwhelming approval of the electorate.
- Speech in the House of Commons, 18 June 2003
- MP calls for referendum on European Constitution
- Speech in the House of Commons, 17 October 2001
Support for the fire service
Fire fighters were obliged to sign up to an open ended agreement on the 'modernisation' of their conditions of employment in order to reach agreement on their national pay rise. The details of just what changes will be imposed are still unclear. The nature of the job is unlike any other and fire fighters have always been held in high esteem by the general public. Angela believes it is important that they get a fair deal.
- Speech in the House of Commons, 03 June 2003
- MP backs fire fighters opposing government bill
- Speech in the House of Commons, 08 May 2003
- Speech in the House of Commons, 20 March 2003
Gibraltar
Angela is a member of the Parliamentary Friends of Gibraltar Group. Gibraltarians expressed their desire to retain British sovereignity in a referendum in 2002 with a resounding "Yes" vote by 99%. The Conservative party supports Gibraltar in whatever future it chooses for itself. Gibraltarians have made clear that they reject sovereignity with Spain but they live with the constant fear that their wishes will be ignored by the Labour government which use joint sovereignity as a bargaining tool in its negotiations with Spain.
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