Patricia McKenna former Green party MEP, human rights champion and mother, spoke to The Epoch Times about the pros and cons of running as an independent candidate and also her experiences on the role of an MEP.
On May 7th this year Patricia McKenna announced that she would be running as an independent for the European Elections 2009 in the Dublin constituency where she was twice elected in the past.
“I am running as an independent because I feel the Green Party has lost its way and I had to move on,” said Ms McKenna about switching to be an independent MEP candidate.
Ms McKenna felt that next to Proinsias de Rossa in Dublin, she had the most experience of any other candidate with ten years of European parliamentary work. “I felt that I had the political experience and did not want to throw that away ... The people of Dublin need an impartial voice that is independent of the government and the main political establishment to speak out on their behalf.”
In the current climate many parties make promises with respect to job creation, Ms McKenna’s view on this was that “It is disingenuous of any candidate to be promising jobs, the sun, the moon and the stars, because you can’t provide jobs as a member of the European parliament.
“What you can do is provide information to the public, alert them of what is going on and what decisions are being made on their behalf in Europe,” which in her view was very important.
However, Ms McKenna pointed out that the European Court of Justice which makes decisions with respect to workers’ rights has not always been fair, “recent European cases have shown quite clearly that our long established rights are being infringed upon for the interests of the market.”
Infringements over employment rights was a serious concern for the former MEP but she felt that this was an area in which an MEP could have a good effect. “I have a very good track record in Europe … I was a very active MEP when I was there … the people need a voice that is not afraid to speak out on their behalf, keep them informed and lobby and raise issues on their behalf.”
“Information is power so if people have more information then they have more power, to make the people taking decisions on their behalf more accountable“ said the Independent candidate.
One of the key areas of benefit from the EU, according to Ms McKenna, was in the realm of environmental legislation. “One of the really good things that we have gotten out of the European Union is good strong environmental laws, but unfortunately those laws are still not being complied with by Ireland.
“We have a bad track record in this area, I think that it is very important that you [the electorate] have a voice there, independent of government that will push Ireland to comply with these laws.”
In her own experience from an environmental point of view, an MEP who is part of a government party will have pressure exerted on them not to embarrass their own party back at home by highlighting their government’s failings with respect to their commitment to implement EU environmental legislation. That is why, according to the former MEP, it is so important to have a voice independent of government.
Ms McKenna felt that there was no point in her staying with the Greens, complaining and not getting anywhere. Leaving was a positive move as now she feels that she can provide a real alternative to the voters.
The Green Party today was not a party that Ms McKenna had envisaged when she got involved and gave the majority of her political life over to developing but she was still green to the core.
“I have left the Green Party but I have taken all of their policies, principals and what they had stood for, with me … I will still fight for those issues in the European parliament.”
Speaking on what role the EU and a MEP would have with respect to human rights Ms McKenna said “Where the parliament has no powers, in countries like China, one can raise the awareness of issues.”
In Europe when human rights issues are raised you get cross party support from other EU nations. “If you pass a resolution at EU level about some country and its human rights abuses whereas the resolution in itself has no legal effect, I can put pressure on those governments by highlighting the fact that the EU is watching them and what they are doing, this can have an impact.”
Ms Mc Kenna acknowledged that the EU had some good results in the area of human rights but was lacking in the area of trade and development, particularly in the area of trade deals negotiated with developing countries. “MEP’s can help in the area of highlighting the inequalities in these agreements when those governments come to the EU parliament for consultation before signing these deals.”
Ms McKenna admitted that she didn’t think that it was all about resources when it came to the elections. Sometimes the electorate look at what kind of representation they will get and she thinks that plays into her advantage as in her opinion she had done well in the past in this regard.
Another advantage to being an independent is that sometimes political parties will transfer votes to independent candidates instead of sending them to their main opponents.
On May 7th this year Patricia McKenna announced that she would be running as an independent for the European Elections 2009 in the Dublin constituency where she was twice elected in the past.
“I am running as an independent because I feel the Green Party has lost its way and I had to move on,” said Ms McKenna about switching to be an independent MEP candidate.
Ms McKenna felt that next to Proinsias de Rossa in Dublin, she had the most experience of any other candidate with ten years of European parliamentary work. “I felt that I had the political experience and did not want to throw that away ... The people of Dublin need an impartial voice that is independent of the government and the main political establishment to speak out on their behalf.”
In the current climate many parties make promises with respect to job creation, Ms McKenna’s view on this was that “It is disingenuous of any candidate to be promising jobs, the sun, the moon and the stars, because you can’t provide jobs as a member of the European parliament.
“What you can do is provide information to the public, alert them of what is going on and what decisions are being made on their behalf in Europe,” which in her view was very important.
However, Ms McKenna pointed out that the European Court of Justice which makes decisions with respect to workers’ rights has not always been fair, “recent European cases have shown quite clearly that our long established rights are being infringed upon for the interests of the market.”
Infringements over employment rights was a serious concern for the former MEP but she felt that this was an area in which an MEP could have a good effect. “I have a very good track record in Europe … I was a very active MEP when I was there … the people need a voice that is not afraid to speak out on their behalf, keep them informed and lobby and raise issues on their behalf.”
Main issues and benefits for Ireland at EU level
In relation to the economy, Ms McKenna thought that even though the European parliament has no direct control over the European Central Bank, it can raise the issue that the ECB makes economic decisions on our behalf. A lot of the decisions made by the ECB are geared towards the larger countries like Germany.“Information is power so if people have more information then they have more power, to make the people taking decisions on their behalf more accountable“ said the Independent candidate.
One of the key areas of benefit from the EU, according to Ms McKenna, was in the realm of environmental legislation. “One of the really good things that we have gotten out of the European Union is good strong environmental laws, but unfortunately those laws are still not being complied with by Ireland.
“We have a bad track record in this area, I think that it is very important that you [the electorate] have a voice there, independent of government that will push Ireland to comply with these laws.”
In her own experience from an environmental point of view, an MEP who is part of a government party will have pressure exerted on them not to embarrass their own party back at home by highlighting their government’s failings with respect to their commitment to implement EU environmental legislation. That is why, according to the former MEP, it is so important to have a voice independent of government.
On the Green Party
“I wouldn’t have left the Greens if I didn’t feel that they hadn’t compromised their values … it was not an easy decision, I gave half my life over to building up the party.”Ms McKenna felt that there was no point in her staying with the Greens, complaining and not getting anywhere. Leaving was a positive move as now she feels that she can provide a real alternative to the voters.
The Green Party today was not a party that Ms McKenna had envisaged when she got involved and gave the majority of her political life over to developing but she was still green to the core.
“I have left the Green Party but I have taken all of their policies, principals and what they had stood for, with me … I will still fight for those issues in the European parliament.”
Human rights, trade and development
Ms McKenna has a record of being outspoken on many human rights. She was a representative for the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China among other causes.Speaking on what role the EU and a MEP would have with respect to human rights Ms McKenna said “Where the parliament has no powers, in countries like China, one can raise the awareness of issues.”
In Europe when human rights issues are raised you get cross party support from other EU nations. “If you pass a resolution at EU level about some country and its human rights abuses whereas the resolution in itself has no legal effect, I can put pressure on those governments by highlighting the fact that the EU is watching them and what they are doing, this can have an impact.”
Ms Mc Kenna acknowledged that the EU had some good results in the area of human rights but was lacking in the area of trade and development, particularly in the area of trade deals negotiated with developing countries. “MEP’s can help in the area of highlighting the inequalities in these agreements when those governments come to the EU parliament for consultation before signing these deals.”
Election campaigning as an independent
“Resources are very difficult as an independent … my campaign will probably be the least expensive of all the candidates in Dublin.”Ms McKenna admitted that she didn’t think that it was all about resources when it came to the elections. Sometimes the electorate look at what kind of representation they will get and she thinks that plays into her advantage as in her opinion she had done well in the past in this regard.
Another advantage to being an independent is that sometimes political parties will transfer votes to independent candidates instead of sending them to their main opponents.
Friends Read Free