Madam, In response to Mr Evans' letter dated 23rd September 2009, "Why allow the EU to rule UK?" Mr Evans makes reference to the Third Driving Licence Directive. I would like to make several points.
Firstly, it is important to note that Conservative MEPs voted against the Third EU Driving Licence Directive and I personally put down 48 amendments to this legislation, many of which related to the way in which the directive was to affect motorcycle users. However, when the matter was discussed in the Council of Ministers, Labour ministers re-instated all of the amendments that I had made that had previously been successful.
Furthermore, Labour Ministers agreed to the final text of the Directive, knowing full well the serious implications this would have on the motorcycle industry in the UK. Now, they must seek a legal derogation from the European Union Commission in order to allow our system of training to continue, something they apparently seem to have done incorrectly judging from the source of the original story.
It is also important to note, that the "unelected bureaucrats" of which you speak do not vote on legislation; that is the job and responsibility of elected Members of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers on which government ministers sit. It was wholly down to the current government that we are landed with yet more bureaucracy for both motorcyclists and car drivers alike.
Philip Bradbourn OBE, MEP