eurealist.co.uk

The Explanatory Notes to the Act: make it clear that originally the primary intention was to implement the EU Arrest Warrant:
“9. The Government set out its proposals to reform the law on extradition in a consultation document “The Law on
Extradition: A Review” in March 2001. It was the outcome of an exercise started in 1997 to consider the legislative
requirements of two European Union Conventions on Extradition. However, it developed into a much more extensive inquiry,
following the adoption at the Tampere Special European Council in October 1999 of the principle of mutual recognition of
judicial decisions by Member States of the European Union.”

rather than to make radical changes to the extradition arrangements with non-EU countries. The changes to the
arrangements for the US, which have received so much attention, arose from the new Extradition Treaty signed by Blunkett
in March 2003. There were warnings about it right from the start, eg in a Special Report from Statewatch in July 2003.

The 45 minute Commons debate after Tampere Special European Council in October 1999 is here:

with typically complacent statements from William Hague, Charles Kennedy et al. Here is information on three divers who
are currently threatened with the EU Arrest Warrant thanks to Part 1 of the Act. Being divers, not bankers, their case
is obviously of less concern to the Tory party.

“Did you know that regardless of the standard of evidence you can be forced to stand trial in an EU country without the
evidence first being examined in a British court? Take care when travelling in the EU. It could be your turn next.”

This is a November 2005 Guardian report on British truck drivers held in Spain:

“Those accused describe a trail of failed marriages, broken families and penury. David Stevenson lost his family while
in jail. Single mother Karen Bland lost her home and contact with her three daughters. Toplass himself is close to
breaking point. Letters sent daily from his Spanish cell reveal a man on the edge. Now the lawyers charged with
representing these disparate voices claim that their predicament raises searching questions over the nature of European
justice and argue that they are neglected because working class truckers are not a political priority. In the case of
Toplass, Stephen Jakobi, a human rights lawyer with more than 40 years’ experience, says he has never seen a more
‘compelling’ case of an innocent man behind bars.”

But this isn’t a recent development - when Blair swanned off to Tampere and accepted the principle of “fast track”
extradition to the rest of the EU, British lorry driver David Benny was having a less enjoyable time in a French prison,
where he was held on suspicion for 14 months while his case was investigated, eventually being released without any
charges ever being laid against him.

Nevertheless, not only is our government perfectly willing to hand us over to oppressive foreign jurisdictions elsewhere
in the EU, without any evidence of wrong doing being presented, but it seems that Opposition MPs also care so little
about our welfare that they would rather not even talk about it.

Thanks to Dr Cooper