letter to the editor from Richard Corbett MEP

23 October 2005

no related press release

Financial Times

Sir,

Thomas Mann has completely misunderstood the situation (letter 19 Oct.).

It is not a sterile political argument for or against regulations, but a search - by the London government and MEPs alike - for better regulation. The question is not just the amount of regulation, but the kind of regulations we make and how they can be made better for everyone.

After all, good European legislation is an exercise in cutting red tape. Allowing businesses to face a single set of common rules across the EU, instead of 25 divergent sets of national rules, eases the burden enormously. On the other hand, bad legislation and excessive detail is to be avoided at all levels of government - not just the EU.

So for heaven's sake let's get away from this "all regulation is good" or "all regulation is bad" simplistic political yah-boo.

Richard Corbett
Labour MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber