Funding announced by the European Commission yesterday will allow detailed study of honeybee mortality and could start to provide explanations for colony losses.

As well as threatening the general ecological balance, the honeybee population crash presents a potential calamity for farmers who rely on local colonies to pollinate crops.

The Commission has earmarked almost €3.2 million to support 17 countries carrying out surveillance studies aiming to gather further important information on honeybee colony losses. The Commission is responsible for coordinating the EU approach to surveying honeybee colony losses in order to gather reliable and comparable data.

The aim is to close the knowledge gap and gain a better understanding of the extent of the problem as well as the reasons for the honeybee colony losses. The 17 projects, including one in the UK, will be co-financed by the Commission at the rate of 70 % of eligible costs for the period 1 April 2012 to 30 June 2013.

Conservative MEPs led by Julie Girling, have previously questioned the adequacy of the Commission’s response to the bee-death crisis.

The decline of honeybees represents a major loss in biodiversity. They are not only responsible for producing honey, but play a vital role in pollinating plants for food and other crops. In the wild, bees are responsible for pollinating around 90% of the wild plants which produce seeds and fruits on which birds and wild animals depend, thus making them even more central to nature’s balance.

This additional funding will go some way to help better understand colony loss but it is imperative that the Commission uses its continent-wide reach to start to understand the problem across Europe - and develop a strategy to turn the tide in bee decline.

Honeybees are coming under threat from pests and diseases for which treatments are not fully understood or effective. Many bee keepers have experienced the complete destruction of their hives from such diseases, and the UK is losing its bee population at around 30% a year (up from just 6% in 2003). The UK has 250 species of bee, three of which have already become nationally extinct.

The historic deal will see the creation of 700 new jobs at the plant, as well as the long-term security of the existing 2100 positions. General Motors, Vauxhall’s parent company, has planned to double its use of UK components in the cars, which is set to create a further 3000 jobs and put over £1bn of investment in the supply chain.

The decision has come about due to workers agreeing to more flexible arrangements, therefore making the plant more competitive than its other European alternatives. The deal also received substantial backing from the UK Government through its industrial strategy, which targets the growth and development of the UK manufacturing sector.

This is the second piece of good news for Ellesmere Port and the UK car industry this month, as Jaguar Land Rover have also announced the creation of over 300 new jobs at a new parts plant on the neighbouring Phoenix Estate.

Speaking from Brussels following the Vauxhall announcement, Sajjad said:

“At a time when we are hearing of economic doom and gloom across Europe, this announcement brings a ray of sunshine and much-needed investment into the region, securing thousands of jobs for the long-term.

“I welcome the strong support of the Conservative-led Government for the UK’s automotive industry and for the revival of Britain’s manufacturing sector.

“It is through the solid and productive partnership between General Motors, the workers and the Government that has led to this success story. This has given an important boost to the North West and has sends a message to the world that the UK is ‘open for business’.”

Sajjad Karim interviewed by Sunrise FM.

Click to Listen

Last July Sajjad and his young family were subjected to a vile and racist protest outside their Lancashire home. Readers of this website will know that 12 members of the English Defence League pleaded guilty for actions that day that included other unaceptable behaviour.

Sajjad welcomed the fact that the innocent victims that day were spared giving evidence and reliving their ordeal.

In the past few days lawyers acting on behalf of the EDL have attempted to thwart and silence journalists in the Lancashire and Manchester area. The EDL claimed their guilty pleas had nothing to do with the demonstration at the Karim house. Journalists were told they would be sued or reported to the Press Complaints Commission.

This afternoon the Crown Prosecution Service upon hearing about the EDL claims issued the following statement.

Chris Long Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor said:  “The defendants in this case appeared before the Crown Court sitting at Preston and entered guilty pleas following a serious public order incident during a day of activity by English Defence League supporters. 

This included an incident earlier that day outside the home of Member of European Parliament Sajjad Karim.  The events outside Mr Karim’s home form part of the prosecution case together with what later transpired in Brierfield.

 Twelve defendants are due to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on 25 May 2012.”

CPS Statement 11.5.12

Once again the EDL have sought to question the honesty of Sajjad and once again they have been found wanting.

Shortly after the mob protested the leader of Britain’s fascists, Nick Griffin, supported the mob by calling Sajjad’s integrity into question.

Griffin called him ‘dishonest’ and said it was a peaceful protest that was not racially motivated but about animal cruelty. Four of the twelve pleaded guilty to threatening racially aggravated violent behaviour, another admitted carrying an offensive weapon – a chisel and the rest admitted using threatening behaviour.

Let me repeat the gang pleaded guilty. They did so minutes before they faced a jury.

Like the EDL, Griffin has been found wanting.

Sajjad also spoke about the incident in the European Parliament.

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The Conservatives in the European Parliament, who have fought for years to end the problem of holiday-makers returning home to find extortionate mobile bills, gave their full support to the measures during a vote held in the European Parliament in Brussels. Saj had previously given his personal support to the proposals when they were discussed in March this year by the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE), of which he is a member.

The new legislation, which will be in place in time for the summer holidays, will allow customers to sign-up to a second mobile provider (whilst keeping the same number) if they feel their domestic provider is charging too much.

New retail price ceilings were also approved. They will be reduced initially to €0.29 per minute for outgoing calls, €0.08 for incoming. Text messages will be capped at €0.09, and data roaming costs limited to €0.70 per megabyte. By 2014 these costs will be further reduced to €0.19 per minute to make a call and €0.05 to receive. Text messages will be pegged at €0.06 and data downloads at €0.20 per megabyte.

Speaking from Brussels, Saj said:

“I am delighted that this common-sense measure has received the support of MEPs in the European Parliament. This is a positive example of how the European Union and the single market can benefit its citizens.

“These measures will add much needed competition into the market. As well as giving choice to the consumer, they will vastly reduce the overall cost incurred by mobile phone users and end the unwelcome “bill shock” that often occurs when people come back from a holiday.

“The proposals have seen opposition from the mobile networks, so it has been necessary for us to legislate in this instance. Providers, however, still need to do more to drive their prices down further.

Saj’s Conservative colleague, Giles Chichester MEP, the party’s parliamentary negotiator on the legislation, added:

“This is a piece of EU legislation which is of practical assistance to consumers and, in particular, to once-a-year holidaymakers abroad. What is more it will help small business seeking to expand sales abroad too”

Mr President on the 2nd of July last year My home in the UK was surrounded by a mob fuelled with racist and religious hate, weaponry in possession and intent on violence. My wife and child were left petrified and in fear for their safety.
12 people have now been convicted in the criminal courts of these acts and offences.

I thank outgoing President Buzek for his condemnation of this incident whilst in office and colleague Emin Buzkart for her support along with the support of the overwhelming vast majority of members of this house
including yourself Mr President.

I thank Lancashire police for protecting my family which allowed me to carry on with my parliamentary duties, and the Crown Prosecution Service for delivering these racist extremists to justice.

Colleagues, To this day I have no answer for my 9 year old daughter who still asks WHY?

Yet in this chamber sits one MEP who at the time offered these racists any help he could offer them as an MEP.
But be sure of one thing – we will not cower in the face of your thuggery. You and your sort will never divide us. We will stand united and face you. Today I speak not only for this house but for every rightthinking citizen of MY country and Europe.

Sajjad has penned an article for today’s New Europe newspaper.

An online version can be read here.

The twelve members of the EDL gang that terrorised East Lancashire last summer have all changed their pleas to guilty and will be sentenced next month.

Their day of violence and mayhem included an angry protest at Sajjad’s home while he and his wife and daughter were in doors.

Sajjad has welcomed their change of plea. “To be afraid to leave ones house as a mob fuelled by hate protests outside is as frightening as it gets. They showed no regard to the fact my wife and daughter were at home. It left me hoping and praying that our four walls would keep us safe and you can’t begin to imagine how my young daughter felt. There were many more innocent people caught up in their violence that day and I am thankful this eleventh hour change of plea means they won’t have to relive their ordeal in a courtroom. We have not and will not allow such mobs to use their threatening ways to hound people in our society.”

NORTH WEST MEP PROMISES TO HELP UNLOCK MARKETS FOR LIVERPOOL BREWER

Ten years after Liverpool’s Cains Brewery was almost closed for good the company is predicting it will return to profitability in the next year.

Local MEP Sajjad Karim said, “This is a fantastic achievement. Cains is a great brand and important local icon. It was an honour to tour the brewery and learn about their operation.”

Cains is predicting a busy year with the Golden Jubilee, Olympics and Euro Championships. But it has also looked further afield for new markets such as Las Vegas and Denmark.

Sajjad, who is also working on the new EU/India tree trade negotiations, added, “What is clear to me is that we need to help companies like Cains find new outlets. This is a big part of my work in Brussels. We must unlock further markets and let companies like this historic brewer grow. I will do everything I can to help”

Showing Sajjad around the brewery was director Sudarghara Dusanj, he welcomed Sajjad’s commitment and added, “Liverpool is a great brand and overseas we trade on the city and its heritage and reputation. We are always looking for new opportunities as we continue to grow Cains”

Central to the bid is the proposal to establish a charitable social enterprise company called the Frodsham Foundation. The company will promote and support the town, its businesses and community groups.

A Town Champion will be its Chief Executive and the trustees or board of directors being drawn from businesses, local government, residents and community groups.

The governments has asked towns to bid for cash and help from entrenpreneur Mary Portas who has been tasked to breathe new life inbto town centres affected by out of town developments.

Sajjad Karim said, “Frodsham has a rich heritage and the council and its partners are eager to build on this and develop a keen and vibrant community spirit. If successful the additional funding will go a long way to support the work already being donw and make a real difference in the area.”