“I fully support Tameside Council’s attempts to stop this unwanted, unwarranted and unnecessary intervention by the EDL. I support any groups right to march but Hyde Police are still investigating the terrible attack on Daniel Stringer-Prince and all the marchers want to do is exploit an already difficult situation. What matters is finding the culprits and bringing them to justice and this is correct time for Home Secretary to use her powers.”

Manchester Airport is to start charging passengers £1 or  €2 to use its new luggage trolleys. Local MEP Sajjad Karim described this as ‘fleecing’ the public.

Sajjad said, “This is a disgraceful decision designed simply to fleece the public who will have no choice but to pay – yet again, having already paid airport taxes at the time of ticket purchase.”

The airport group made £69million pounds profits last year and already charges for clear plastic bags so passengers can carry liquids on board.

The airports 3000 new trolleys will arrive in mid-April. Sajjad added, “I am taking this up with the management. 440 million people live within a three hour flying time of Manchester Airport and we should be doing everything we can to encourage these visitors and that includes the little things.”

Sajjad Karim MEP with Councillor Jeff Green

Last night saw Conservative Group Leader Cllr Jeff Green re-elected as Leader of Wirral Council following a vote of no confidence in Labour’s Steve Foulkes.

With good financial management they identified almost £60 million worth of savings, which meant the freezing of Council Tax for Wirral residents whilst investing extra cash in front lone services, like libraries, Sure Start and supporting employers to create new jobs.

But last year Labour took back minority control after May’s local elections. Things went from bad to worse following the publication of a highly-critical report into the alleged failings of the local authority’s adult social services department.

Conservative and Lib Dem members were dissatisfied with the way Cllr Foulkes and the ruling Labour Group had dealt with the findings from the report, resulting in a motion of no confidence in Cllr Foulkes.

 Sajjad has welcomed Jeff Green’s election as Wirral leader saying:

“Even local Labour MP, Frank Field had labelled Labour run Wirral ”total inefficiency” and claimed this had led to “about £60m in squandered opportunities”. Included a £40m academy in Birkenhead, missed out on because “proper procedures” were not followed. Jeff’s appointment recognises his very considerable experience in local government.  Jeff and the new team will build on their achievements during 2010/11 and focus the authority on providing high quality, value for money services to the people of Wirral.

Jeff Green has not yet announced his new cabinet, promising to include all parties in decision-making but has pledged “We are all in this together and we can put things right.”

He has also stated he must “ensure the Council has a budget of what we will be spending from April, along with how we will raise that money. I also know that people are being hit by squeezed budgets at home. I will do my best to ensure that Council Tax does not place a higher burden on Wirral households at this time”

Sajjad is looking forward to working with the new Wirral administration under Jeff’s capable leadership saying “Jeff and his team turned round Labour’s mis-management before and now will sort out the mess they have left again.”

In the last week alone, Sajjad has received over 100 emails on the matter from constituents and animal welfare groups. He very much shares concerns regarding the wide-spread poor transit conditions across the continent and agrees that there should be a strict, finite journey time imposed (under 8 hours) on all animal transportation, to slaughter and otherwise.

The issue of animal suffering and the reoccurring breaches of EU rules on the transport of animals is a continual area of great concern for both Sajjad and the Conservatives in the European Parliament.

Sajjad has previously signed another European Parliament Written Declaration on this matter, which specifically raised in Parliament the issue of horse welfare during long-distance transportation to slaughter. The Written Declaration also called upon the European Commission and European Member states to enforce EU law (EC 1/2005), which is meant to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of animals during transportation.

Despite this being step in the right direction, there is still much evidence collected by animal welfare charities/organisations showing that the European Commission is not firmly committed to enforcing the regulations on animal welfare during transportation.

The Commission have recently written a report on the protection of animals during transport. You can view this report by clicking on the link below:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/welfare/transport/docs/10112011_report_en.pdf

Unfortunately, this report calls for very little change the current regulation governing the transportation of animals over long distances. However, it does make some positive steps in the provision for greater enforcement of the current rules, such as navigation systems fitted on all vehicles.

The Commission admit in the report that although the current Regulation (1/2005) has had beneficial impact on the welfare of animals during transport, it does appear that there is room for improvement of the situation.

Sajjad and his Conservative colleagues will continue to monitor and influence the European Commission’s work in this area through the European Parliament and will continue to be in contact with animal welfare organisations to ensure that the welfare of animals and their conditions of transport are met.

The new rules came into force on January 1st and strengthen and clarify existing rules. The Constitutional Affairs Committee have compared the new rules with national equivalents and feel they are guaranteeing the highest level of transparency. Members of the new panel have been appointed by the Parliament’s President.

Sajjad said, “It is a great honour to be appointed to the new panel and an equal honour to have the confidence of my peers.”

“We demand transparency from members right across the continent. The code of conduct will provide a strong shield against unethical behaviour. There is an explicit ban on receiving payments or other rewards, clear rules on the acceptance of gifts and former MEPs who work as lobbyists. Much criticism of elected members is unfair but citizens need to have confidence in both parliament and parliamentarians and this new code will go a long way to achieving that.”

The Advisory Committee Sajjad will sit on will provide guidance to MEPs and advise the Parliament’s President on what steps to take in the event of alleged breaches of the code.

 ”Well the approval today at WTO level of the package of assistance for Pakistan is extremely good news in terms of the development of the relationship between the European Union, Pakistan and indeed South Asia per se.

We have got very important ongoing negotiations with India regarding the Free Trade Agreement and Baroness Ashton has just returned from there (India). It is important that along with that, the assistance measures we put in place for Pakistan come to fruition, and therefore this is a big step in the right direction. Of course the whole thing now has to come back to the parliament. Without Parliaments final negotiated approval, we simply cannot finalise this, it is essential we now move one step further to now delivering this as soon as we possibly can.

Baroness Ashton will be in Pakistan in April in order to launch the new 5 year programme and plan that we have put in place, and certainly in my role as Friends of Pakistan Group Chairman here in the European Parliament, and indeed certainly in line with the wishes of the British government and indeed the British Prime Minister, we as British Conservative MEPs, will continually be working and doing all that we can to strengthen Europe’s relationship, and therefore UK’s relationship, with Asia.”

Cars have been made at Halewood for over 50 years and Saj toured the plant where the Freelander and the new Evoque are now manufactured.

Since its launch on 4th July last year, 50,000 Evokes have come off the production line with 75% being exported.

Meeting Operations manager, Richard Else, who briefed Sajjad on the history of Halewood and the purchase of Jaguar Land Rover by TATA in 2008, Richard detailed that currently China is the biggest growth market.

Since Jaguar Land Rover was bought by TATA production of the Jaguar  has been moved to the West Midlands allowing Halewood to concentrate on the Freelander and develop the Evoque, a new vehicle made from scratch at Halewood, replacing  X-type production which ended end of 2010.

Sajjad went on to tour the plant where he saw aspects of production from robots fitting together the pressed steel panels to the intensive hands on side of finishing the  internal trim.

Stopping off at several points on the production platform, Saj chatted with managers and apprentices, all of who have their own stories to tell.

With most of the workforce coming from the local area, many have fathers, brother and sisters who also work at Halewood.

Sajjad was impresed with commitment of the workforce and the majority of those who start as apprentices go on to full time permanent employment.

Jaguar Land Rover have now doubled the number of people employed at Halewood to over 3000 with a further 1000 employed on site by DHL.

You can have your Evoque tailor made in the colour and trim of your choice.  Fancy an different colour roof or panoramic glass roof? No problem. But there’s a waiting list so order yours soon.

It’s clear that under TATA the Jaguar and Land Rover marques that Ratan Tata was so proud to take over have gone from strength to strength and are still the best of British made cars.

Saj went on to put the Evoque through its paces off road at the Land Rover Adventure Centre – Thrilling, exciting and just a little bit nerve wracking!

Sajjad Karim is saddened and shocked by the attack of 17 year Daniel Stringer-Prince in Hyde, Greater Manchester.

More information - http://tinyurl.com/7uhz2s6

“Our thoughts are with Daniel and his family. His injuries are serious and horrific and the police must be able to carry out their duties with speed and diligence. As a man has been arrested very little can legally be said. However, I would urge anyone from Hyde, particularly from the asian community, who has any information on this attack to please co-operate with the police. “

From :  Mr Sajjad Karim MEP

Legal Affairs Spokesman

ECR Group, European Parliament

“He should be deported to Jordan and certainly not released. The Special Immigrations Appeals Commission has declared he is dangerous, still poses a threat to our security and has not changed in his views or attitude to the UK.  This is a man who is seeking to undermine our country at every turn. It is clear that Qatada should not be in this country another day. The overwhelming majority will see this as another strange judicial decision”

North West MEP Sajjad Karim is urging unspent cash to be diverted to small businesses.

There is €82billion in structural funds unspent across the EU. One and half billion of it in the UK.

“We could use that money to help finance small businesses obtain finance. This would ease one of the problems we are currently experiencing,” said Sajjad Karim.

The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, agrees and used a recent speech to ask member states not to leave the money unspent.

“Small businesses are the driving force of our economy and as I tour the North west I hear the same thing over and over. The problem is that small businesses want to expand and employ more staff  but the banks have a closed door policy. One and half billion won’t solve the problem but it will help to ease the crisis. We must support our entrepreneurs and do what we can to ensure they have the tools to do the job.”

Mr Karim is now asking the UK government to look at ways of spending the money in this way.