Animal welfare pledges

Animal welfare is an important area of European law.

I have pledged that if elected as an MEP I will support measures to strengthen animal welfare laws. Cruelty to animals is abhorrent and we need strong and effective animal welfare laws. We also need those laws to be properly enforced here in the UK and across the European Union.

As a candidate in the European Parliament elections I have signed up to the RSPCA's animal welfare pledge and the Eurogroup for Animals/ Vote for Animals pledge.

I am also supportive of the work of the Labour Animal Welfare Society, an organisation that works to help develop Labour's policy on animal welfare. You can find out more about the Labour Animal Welfare Society's work here.

Backing East Midlands pubs and breweries | CAMRA campaign

It is good to be getting so many e-mails from CAMRA members from across the East Midlands ahead of the European elections in May (my response is also set out below).

If I am elected I would want to work with CAMRA and the European Beer Consumers Union to protect local pubs and support the brewing industry. You can read the European Beer Consumers Union manifesto here.

My response to e-mails from CAMRA members:

Thank you for your recent e-mail asking me to support real ale, community pubs and consumer rights if I am elected as an MEP for the East Midlands in May's elections.

I am proud to be a member of CAMRA and agree with you that pubs are a valuable British institution and play an important role in our local communities. 

I am very concerned about the numbers of pubs closing, for a variety of reasons, and I want to see action taken at local and national levels to protect our pubs.

I agree that more should be done to promote our local brewing industry through free tie options and a guest beer right for licensees. There are many excellent breweries across the East Midlands region and I want to see them thrive now and in the future. I also agree that beer should be affordable and I recognise the important role that local pubs play in promoting safe and responsible drinking.

You may be interested in an article I wrote for the Leicester CAMRA newsletter setting out my support for local pubs. It is in the March/April 2013 edition and can be read here. 

I am always happy to meet with local CAMRA branches and would welcome opportunities to do so.

If I am elected as an MEP in May's elections I will be proud to champion our region's pubs and brewing industry in Europe.

The ECBU manifesto.

World Horse Welfare European manifesto

Thank you to everyone who has contacted me recently about World Horse Welfare's manifesto for the European Parliament elections.

I support the aims set out in World Horse Welfare's manifesto and will support these aims if I am elected as an MEP in May.

The manifesto can be read here.

Campaign update blog

With less than 40 days until Polling Day Labour campaign teams are busy across all parts of the East Midlands.

Thank you to everyone who has been campaigning recently; knocking on doors, delivering literature or helping in other ways. All your efforts are appreciated and will make a real difference. In recent weeks I have campaigned in Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Kettering, North West Leicestershire, Northampton North, Wellingborough, Bosworth and Lincoln.

With the campaign team in Northampton North with
Sally Keeble recently.

I have recently taken part in two hustings events with candidates from other parties. The first of these events was a debate on climate change and environmental policy held at De Montfort University in Leicester as part of the GreenLight Festival.

Taking part in the GreenLight Festival MEP
candidate hustings.

I also took part in a debate hosted by the Nottingham Post. Nottingham City Councillor Michael Edwards did a blog write-up of the event here.

Since my last campaign update blog I have spoken at a number of events across the region including Newark Branch Labour Party; the Unison Labour Link Political Forum; Nottingham South Constituency Labour Party; Nottingham Labour by-election victory social; Western Park, Leicester Branch Labour Party and the South Leicestershire Labour Party Annual Dinner where I spoke alongside Labour Party Vice-Chair Michael Dugher MP.
It was also good to join friends from across the region at a dinner organised by East Midlands TULO (Trade Union - Labour Party Liaison Organisation) which was addressed by GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny, Glenis Willmott MEP and Michael Dugher MP.

Speaking alongside Glenis Willmott at the Unison
Labour Link Political Forum.

Addressing the South Leicestershire
Labour Party Annual Dinner.

It was also good to join Liz Kendall MP and friends from Leicester West Labour Party for their recent social event at Namaste restaurant on Narborough Road.

To coincide with the 50 day countdown to Polling Day I wrote an article for LabourList setting out the key issues we are hearing on the campaign trail and the dividing lines that are defining this campaign. You can read the article here.

If you would like to support our campaign you can find out more details and sign-up for local campaign sessions here. Thank you to everyone who has helped so far.

Twitter @Rory_Palmer | Facebook www.facebook.com/RoryPalmerLabour 

www.eastmidslabour.org.uk

Campaign update blog: Less than 100 days to go.....

It is now less than 100 days until Polling Day for the European Parliament elections.

The campaign here in the East Midlands is now in full swing. Thank you to the campaign teams working hard in all parts of the region. Thank you especially to the campaign teams that have welcomed the European candidates to Leicester, Loughborough, Northampton, Corby, Lincoln, Boston, Nottingham and Broxtowe for our recent 'Super Saturday' campaign days.

It has been great to see so many activists out joining us on the campaign trail along with our MPs including Jon Ashworth in Leicester South and Andy Sawford in Corby. We have also been joined by Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidates including Lucy Rigby, Sally Keeble, Matthew O'Callaghan and Nick Palmer.

East Midlands Labour 'Super Saturday' in Nottingham.

In Lincoln with our PPC Lucy Rigby and team.

The team will be campaigning across the region in the coming weeks. For details and to sign up for our campaign events visit the East Midlands Labour website.

In the past few weeks I have also visited Corby and Erewash Labour Parties to speak at their constituency meetings about the campaign and Labour's vision for a fairer Europe. It was also good to speak at a meeting of the Leicester Labour Campaign Forum.

A few weeks ago I met with Labour's candidates for North West Leicestershire, South Derbyshire and Burton to discuss the need for the Ivanhoe Railway/ National Forest Line to be re-opened for passenger trains between Leicester and Burton. This would have real economic benefits for the area and I am supportive of the campaign. I will be working with Jamie, Cheryl and Jon on this campaign in the coming months.

Meeting with Labour PPCs Jon Wheale (Burton),
Jamie McMahon (North West Leics) &
Cheryl Pidgeon (South Derbyshire) to
discuss the Ivanhoe/National Forest railway line.

In recent weeks I have also met with Leicestershire Ramblers Association to discuss the importance of good footpaths in the area and also visited the new Food Hall at Leicester Market which is under construction and which is backed by £2 million of EU funding. The timber used in the construction is all from sustainable sources. The the city council is one of the first 40 organisations to sign up to the European Sustainable Timber Coalition and to reach the Gold pledge in the WWF's sustainable timber procurement campaign.

You can find on this site other updates from the campaign and news. Thank you again to everyone campaigning in the East Midlands and across the country for May's elections.

Remember, to keep tweeting about your campaigning. You can follow me on twitter @Rory_Palmer and my Facebook page is at www.facebook.com/RoryPalmerLabour

100 days to go

It is 100 days until election day for the European Parliament elections.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the East Midlands Labour European campaign so far.

We are setting out why Labour is the only party with the serious answers to the cost of living crisis facing families across the region. Labour is on your side. We will fight to protect important rights at work, including maternity and paternity rights.

We will also work to bring new investment to the East Midlands to create jobs and apprenticeships and to get our young people back to work.

If you want to help Labour win in May why not sign up to join the East Midlands Labour European team campaign sessions across the region. Sign up here.

Remember to keep tweeting about your campaigning using #labourdoorstep and #EP2014.

Thank you to the campaign teams across the region.

Twitter @Rory_ Palmer | Facebook www.facebook.com/RoryPalmerLabour

www.eastmidslabour.org.uk 

Campaigning in Corby & Northampton | Thank you

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the East Midlands Labour European campaign sessions this weekend in Corby and Northampton.

It was also good to speak at Corby CLP on Friday evening about the campaign, thanks to all those who attended for an enjoyable and interesting discussion.

For details of future campaign events across the region see here.

BBC Radio Leicester interview: why the EU matters

Earlier today I joined Jonathan Lampon on the BBC Radio Leicester Breakfast Show to discuss May's European elections and why the East Midlands is better off because of our EU membership.

I set out the need for reform in the EU to ensure a stronger focus on jobs and growth and tackling the cost of living crisis. Labour will make the case for this reform. Households in the East Midlands are £3000 a year better off because of EU membership according to the CBI.

Listen to the interview here (scroll to 2 hours, 8 minutes): http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01ngzqq

Blog: campaign update #FreezeThatBill, Small Business Saturday & more.....

Here's a quick campaign update from the last few weeks including #FreezeThatBill, Small Business Saturday and Billy Bragg:

On Saturday 9 November I took part in the #FreezeThatBill campaign day, joining our campaign teams in Leicester and Loughborough. It was good to be joined by Shadow Cabinet Member Vernon Coaker MP at the campaign session in Loughborough.

To find out more and support Labour's #FreezeThatBill campaign see: http://action.labour.org.uk/page/s/energy-calculator/

FreezeThatBill campaigning in Loughborough.

During November I spoke at several meetings and events about next year's European elections including Charnwood Constituency Labour Party; Nottinghamshire Fabian Society's AGM; Glenis Willmott's East Midlands Labour European Forum; and Northampton University Labour Students with our Parliamentary Candidate Sally Keeble.

I also attended the East Midlands Labour Gala Dinner which was addressed by Ed Miliband. It was also good to welcome Tom Watson MP to the annual Leicester South Christmas Curry earlier this week.

At the East Midlands Labour Gala Dinner with friends from North West Leicestershire Labour Party including our candidate Jamie McMahon.

Saturday 7 December was the first Small Business Saturday UK. This was an excellent opportunity to celebrate the important contribution small businesses make to our high streets and communities. I wrote a column for the Leicester Mercury which can be read here.

On Small Business Saturday itself I started the day at the home of many excellent small businesses and independent traders, the famous Leicester Market. I also visited Welbeck Farm Shop in North Nottinghamshire, which is also home to the Welbeck Brewery. The previous Sunday I visited the popular Clarendon Park Christmas Fair on Leicester's Queens Road.

I have written previously about the special food heritage and industry we have here in the East Midlands. If I am elected as an MEP working to promote this industry will be one of my top priorities. In November we saw lots of local producers showcased at the Leicester Market Winter Food & Drink Festival. This event featured local producers like Woodhouse Farm in Hinckley and Coalville's Long Lane Brewery.

I have signed up to support an NUS campaign to champion postgraduate students. Postgraduate study is vital to the UK in terms of research and innovation. I want to see a fair funding settlement for postgraduate students at our region's universities. Find out more here.

With Leicester University Students Union officer Michael Rubin and
Jon Ashworth MP signing up as a Postgraduate Champion.

Congratulations to Labour's Parliamentary Candidates that have been selected since my last update blog, Kevin McKeever in Northampton South and Cherly Pidgeon for South Derbyshire. It has been a busy few weeks but it was good to find time to see Billy Bragg perform here in the East Midlands at Derby Assembly Rooms.

Thank you to everyone who is campaigning across the region ahead of next year's elections.

Remember, you can also follow me on Twitter @Rory_Palmer.

200 days to go | These elections matter

Today is 200 days until voters go to the polls for the 2014 European Parliament elections.

These elections matter. We need to elect more Labour MEPs across the UK to fight for a better deal for our regions and the UK in these difficult times. Labour MEPs, led by Glenis Willmott, have done an excellent job since 2009. The European Parliamentary Labour Party was reduced in number at the 2009 elections – we lost a third of our MEPs – but has not been reduced in its impact in Brussels.

Labour MEPs have led the campaign for a European Youth Guarantee to tackle the youth jobs crisis and give hope to young people across the EU. Our MEPs have been making the argument for a progressive and fairer Europe, built on jobs and growth.

As we move towards next May’s elections we need to be setting out the progressive case for Britain’s future in a reformed Europe. We will not be arguing to defend the status quo in Europe. We accept the EU needs to change, in response to the global challenges we face today but also to better reflect our values and priorities.

The European Parliament elections next May have an important political context for Labour. We should not overlook this. It makes these European elections arguably more important than some previous electoral cycles in Europe and it means we have to win well next year.

Momentum matters in politics. The European elections next May will be held less than a year before the 2015 General Election. The European elections are a key milestone on the journey towards 2015.

These are the first set of European elections Labour has fought as the national opposition party since 1994. That is a political generation ago. We all know what tends to happen to the vote share of the governing party(ies) at European elections. We saw our vote decline at each cycle of European elections after 1997; in 1999, 2004 and 2009. We have to make sure next year’s elections inflict real and lasting damage on the Conservatives and Lib Dems poll numbers, and that we take on UKIP. It is crucial that we challenge UKIP’s arguments at every opportunity.

The results of these elections will, for a period of time, help set the political landscape. This will be at an important time in the electoral cycle. It is crucial that Labour does well on 22 May 2014. The results will be the subject of comment pieces and political punditry as we approach next summer and the final party conference before 2015.

We need to win next May and win well. To make sure we do well next May we have to set out and win the progressive argument for Europe.

It is also important we make clear the direct link between the argument on Europe and the everyday concerns of people in our communities. Ed Miliband is setting the agenda on the living standards debate and that has to be central to the campaign next May.

Our organisation will be key to securing a good set of results next May. Thanks to Ian McNichol and his team we have parliamentary candidates selected in key battleground seats and organisers in place. This is a real advantage and 2014 has to be treated as an important dress rehearsal and test for this organisational capability. This is particularly the case for refining our GOTV operations and postal vote campaigning.

We need to be working hard across the country between now and next May. Campaign teams and European candidates are already hard at work because these elections matter. These are not just ‘another’ set of European elections. I know we can do well next May. We can strengthen our voice in Europe by electing more Labour MEPs across the country. The campaign can be a real boost on our route map towards 2015.

With 200 days to go, let’s get to it.

Twitter @Rory_Palmer

Facebook www.facebook.com/RoryPalmerLabour

East Midlands European Candidates:
Rory Palmer; Linda Woodings; Glenis Willmott MEP;
Nicki Brooks; Khalid Hadadi.

Plain English

Earlier this year I called for a clearer commitment to using Plain English in council and official public notices.

Many of these notices are written in a way which is baffling, often leaving the public unclear as to the intention and purpose of the notices.

In August I said:
'I think people get really annoyed and frustrated by it.'

'They are often impenetrable and in antiquated language nobody uses.'

'We might as well be putting them out in Latin, for the good they are doing.'

'If we have to put these orders up, we should have an explanation in plain English. That could be done with very little effort or expense.'

'This is not a problem isolated to Leicester City Council – it affects all authorities – but it is something we can deal with easily.'

The Leicester Mercury covered this here: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Public-baffled-jargon-council-public-notices/story-19659063-detail/story.html  

The Mercury's Editorial also backed my call: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Mercury-opinion-Ban-jargon-public-documents/story-19667331-detail/story.html

All public bodies and legislatures should use Plain English including councils, public agencies, national parliaments and the European Parliament.

5 DAYS TO GO

If you have not yet voted in the Labour MEP candidate ballot please vote today!

This ballot is important - it will decide the order of Labour's MEP candidates in the East Midlands for next year's European Parliament elections.

If you post your ballot today it should arrive in time. Online voting is still open if you have received an e-mail from the Labour Party.

You can find out more about me and my campaign on this site.

Thank you to everyone who has already voted in the ballot.

Vote RORY PALMER as your FIRST preference.

BALLOT CLOSES ON WEDNESDAY: VOTE TODAY

Tweet your support #Rory1forEastMids

Facebook www.facebook.com/RoryPalmerLabour

ONE WEEK TO GO

The MEP candidate selection ballot will close in one week (5pm, Wednesday 31 July).

There is still time to vote, so if you have not yet voted please consider supporting me with your first preference vote. You can find out more about me and my campaign on this site.

I am very grateful for the support I have received from across the region; from all counties; from all cities; from grassroots members, trade union activists, young members, councillors and Members of Parliament. I am proud to have the support of trade unions including Community, GMB and UNISON.

Thank you to everyone who has supported my campaign and who has voted for me.

If you have friends, family or colleagues in the Labour Party who have not yet voted please encourage them to support me with their first preference vote.

The finishing line is in sight but I am still campaigning for every vote. 

Tweet your support #Rory1forEastMids

Facebook www.facebook.com/RoryPalmerLabour

Four weeks to go | Campaign update blog

Exactly four weeks ago I was with my fellow East Midlands MEP candidates and Glenis Willmott at Braunstone Civic Centre for the Leicestershire hustings. This day also saw the start of the official voting period for the ballot to order Labour’s MEP candidates ahead of next year’s elections.

Members received an e-mail during the event informing them that the ballot had opened; I am told some members actually voted online there and then at the event. Over the next few days members across the region received their ballot papers in the post.

We are now midway through the ballot period, with another four weeks to go.

If you have not yet voted I hope you will consider supporting me with your first preference vote. You can find out more about me, my experience and my ideas for our region in Europe on this site.

I have the experience and ideas to be an effective MEP for our region. The East Midlands faces some big challenges including the need to secure investment to create new jobs. Youth unemployment is a significant challenge and I have made this a specific priority in my campaign.

I know what is needed to win a better deal in Europe for all parts of our region; our rural villages, coalfield communities, market towns and the cities.

Thank you to everyone who has already voted for me, I am very grateful for your support. 
I am also really grateful to the trade unions supporting me; GMB, Community and UNISON.

I also want to thank my fantastic campaign team who continue to work tirelessly. I set out on this campaign with the aim of engaging members across the region in the European election campaign. I have been determined that my selection campaign would do that and I am grateful for all the work my team have put in so far to help make that happen.

This last week has been another busy one. It was good to see the People United bus arrive in Leicester city centre on Wednesday. This week I have also supported the campaign to save Royal Mail.

Last weekend I was in Birmingham at Labour’s National Policy Forum. This was an important weekend in Labour’s policy-making process and along with the team of East Midlands reps, I helped to make sure views of members in the region were put forward. I attended policy discussions on health and social care, children’s service and early years, international development and foreign policy.

I also took part in a panel discussion to discuss best practice in engaging members in the Your Britain policy process. I mentioned lots of examples of good policy discussions that have taken place across the East Midlands including events I attended in Erewash and Loughborough.

The most enjoyable aspect of this selection campaign is hearing the thoughts and ideas of members across the region about next year’s European elections.

I have said throughout the campaign that we need to listen to our members. The European elections are now less than a year away. Please keep putting forward your ideas and suggestions for the campaign. Your ideas can help us win next year.

Vote RORY PALMER as your FIRST preference.

Tweet your support #Rory1forEastMids

Facebook www.facebook.com/RoryPalmerLabour 

Blog: campaign update

It has been another busy week on the campaign. Party members across the region are still voting and I want to thank everyone who has supported me in the ballot, and thank you again to my hard-working campaign team for all their efforts, enthusiasm and support.

Last week I attended a discussion on the European campaign organised by St Anns Branch in Nottingham East and a hustings event at Erewash CLP. It was also good to be at the AGM of Leicester South CLP.

On Friday I spoke about my campaign at the AGM of Retford Branch in Bassetlaw. On Saturday I was at a meeting with Glenis Willmott MEP, fellow candidates and representatives from CLPs across the region to discuss our campaign strategy for next year's elections. It was interesting to hear campaign ideas from across the region.

Yesterday evening I was at South Leicestershire CLP with my good friend Willy Bach discussing how we build a positive future for young people. I have made youth unemployment the top issue in my MEP campaign and we need to see more investment for apprenticeships, training programmes and skills development. I have supported the European Youth Guarantee for jobs and spoke at the European Socialists Conference held in Nottingham last November.

Earlier this week I attended the meeting of Labour's National Policy Forum Britain's Global Role Commission along with MEPs Glenis Willmott and Richard Howitt and shadow ministers Emma Reynolds, Gemma Doyle and Jim Murphy. We discussed a range of foreign policy issues, including Europe, ahead of this weekend's National Policy Forum meeting.
As a rep for the East Midlands on the National Policy Forum I am always keen to hear from members on policy issues, please contact me here or submit your ideas via the Your Britain website.

LGBT Labour have sent a questionnaire to all MEP candidates and my response can be read here. I have always supported equality for LGBT people and will do so as an MEP.

This week UNISON are holding their annual conference, I am proud to have the UNISON's endorsement and support in the MEP candidate ballot.

Again, thank you to everyone who has supported me in the ballot. If you have not voted yet please consider supporting me with your first preference vote.

Vote RORY PALMER as your FIRST preference.

Tweet your support #Rory1forEastMids

Facebook www.facebook.com/RoryPalmerLabour 

The experience to win for the East Midlands

The experience to win for Labour 

Experienced representative in our region

I hold a senior position in local government in the East Midlands.

As Deputy City Mayor of Leicester I have a track record of delivering: 

Led the implementation of the Living Wage at Leicester City Council.

Created new apprenticeships as part of plans to tackle youth unemployment.

Set up and chair the Leicester Child Poverty Commission.

Worked to secure investment in the area to create jobs and growth.

Elected as a councillor in 2007 and re-elected in 2011: assisted hundreds of residents on a wide range of issues. 

I am experienced at taking up casework and winning results for the people I represent.

Experience in Europe

I sit on a European level board of city mayors & leaders, working to secure EU funding for local energy projects. 

Attended meetings with EU Commissioners, officials and MEPs in Brussels. 

Spoken at events and conferences in Europe.

Invited to speak at last year's Labour regional European Forum and at last November's European Socialists youth unemployment conference in Nottingham.

Labour Party & Trade Union experience

Solid Party background: active Labour member for 15 years. 

Campaigned in elections at all levels in the East Midlands and across the country. 

Experienced CLP and Branch Ocer, previously a CLP Secretary and Trade Union Liaison Ocer. 

Experienced Labour candidate in national and local elections, including 2010 General Election. 

Organised successful election campaigns. 

National Policy Forum rep for the East Midlands. 

East Midlands Labour Party Regional Board.

Trade union activist and campaigner

Campaigned on issues including low pay, pensions, employment rights and equalities. 

Won the TUC National Young Members Award. 

Involved nationally in the campaign to extend the minimum wage to young workers. 

My first ever trip to Brussels was to represent young workers in the UK at a European Trade Union Confederation youth conference.

We have to win the doorstep argument on Europe.

We need to connect with people in our communities who are worried about the future.

It is not our job to defend the status quo. The EU is not perfect and if I am an MEP I will argue for real change and reform in Europe: change to make sure Europe works for the East Midlands.

We need to make the pragmatic argument for Europe.

Thousands of jobs in our region, in manufacturing, research & development, distribution and other sectors, depend on Britain's EU membership. The EU is also a platform for Labour to fight to protect and win stronger rights and protection for workers, citizens and consumers.

Youth unemployment is at crisis levels. I support eorts at the European level to get young people back to work: this is one of my top priorities for our region.

Our campaign in 2014 has to be about real issues: unemployment, the economy and living standards.

Take on UKIP

We cannot ignore UKIP. We need to take on UKIP and make sure it is Labour that sets the agenda in next year's elections. As a parliamentary and council candidate I have taken on and beaten UKIP and the BNP.

Motivate our members

As with any campaign, Labour's strongest asset will be our activists. As a candidate I will listen to our members and make sure the European campaign responds to your local concerns. These elections are a crucial milestone towards the 2015 General Election. In my view there can be no 'no-go' areas for Labour in 2014: every street, village, town and city is a battleground in these elections.

I will listen to our members; attending CLP, branch and trade union meetings where invited to discuss the 2014 campaign.

Tackle apathy

Apathy remains a big challenge in European elections. We have to make these elections relevant and reach out to people who have lost faith in politics. I will lead a campaign to connect with voters in all communities, including young people, students and first time voters.

Youth unemployment: my top priority for the East Midlands

Since it was announced that I would be a Labour candidate for next year's European Parliament elections people have asked me why I want to represent the region and what my priorities are.

My top priority for the region is youth unemployment.

The latest figures will be published this week and I fear we will see youth unemployment going up again. We cannot afford a lost generation and we need urgent action at local level, national level and in Europe.

In the East Midlands youth unemployment is 18.7% with 63,000 young people out of work.

I grew up in this region and have seen the impact of industrial decline. I have seen the impact on communities when good, decent jobs in industry and manufacturing disappear. As well as the youth jobs crisis we have to deal with the problem of under-employment and the low wage economy. We need to see employers paying the Living Wage and we have to deal urgently with the scandal of zero hours contracts.

I back proposals for a European Youth Guarantee. In Europe almost 6 million young people are out of work. We need a European Youth Guarantee to give young people hope: ensuring that every young person is offered a job, further education or work-based training within four months of leaving education or becoming unemployed.

We need to see government's invest in programmes like Labour's Future Jobs Fund that got young people back into work.

As Deputy City Mayor in Leicester I have led the development of our Leicester to Work programme which has created new apprenticeships at the council and has introduced a new programme of paid work six month placements for young people out of work. For more information on Leicester to Work see here.

Last October I wrote for Labour Uncut on the need for urgent responses to the youth jobs crisis. I called on the British government to take action:

We know that this government is dangerously stubborn in its refusal to admit their plan is failing. When it comes to youth joblessness, political failure matters less than the economic and social consequences. When it comes to the risk of a lost generation it is the very real human cost that should motivate all politicians, whether in town halls, Whitehall or Brussels.

I am making youth unemployment the top issue in my campaign. We need a European Youth Guarantee and we need regional approaches to this, something more difficult to secure after the government abolished Regional Development Agencies. As an MEP I will work with local authorities, employers, unions, Local Enterprise Partnerships and training organisations to get real help from Europe, including funding, to get young people in the region back to work.

I want to see the youth jobs crisis and our determination to give young people hope and a better future central to Labour's campaign for next year's European Parliament elections.

Tackling the youth jobs crisis is my top priority now and it will be my top priority from day one if I am elected as an MEP.

Visiting rail apprentices with MEP Glenis Willmott
at Vital Skills in Leicester.

Lord Willy Bach gives backing to Rory

Lord Willy Bach, Labour Peer and former Justice Minister is supporting my campaign:

'I have campaigned alongside Rory Palmer and I know he has the experience and values to be a strong member of Labour's European team in the East Midlands.'

'He understands the challenges facing the region and I know he will be an effective parliamentarian in Brussels.'

'I am pleased to be supporting his campaign.'

Tweet your support: #Rory1forEastMids

European elections 2014: Ready to win for our region

The Labour Party has announced its candidates for the European Parliament elections which will take place next year.

I am pleased and proud to have been selected as a Labour candidate in the East Midlands.

Congratulations to all of the Labour candidates selected for these elections. Our teams of candidates in all regions are strong and experienced. I am really looking forward to campaigning as part of our team in the East Midlands.

Next year’s European elections are really important. They are important for the East Midlands, for the country and for Labour. 

I was born and bred in the East Midlands. This is the region where I live and work. 

I know how important it is to have strong Labour representatives working for our communities at every level, from town halls to Whitehall and in Europe.

Europe matters to all of us. We won’t get jobs and growth in Britain without growth in Europe. Europe matters if like me, people are worried and angry about the youth unemployment crisis. 

Europe matters in securing jobs and investment in the region and it matters if you care about our public services and our rights as citizens, consumers and workers. 

My politics is about lifting living standards and tackling poverty; to do this we need a fairer future in the East Midlands. 

To secure that fairer and better future we need to have a strong Labour team speaking up for our region in Europe. I will be working tirelessly over the coming months to join Glenis Willmott in the European Parliament to speak up for our region and pursue the issues that matter to people across the East Midlands.

I have the experience, commitment and ideas to be a strong and effective voice for the East Midlands in Europe. 

I am ready to win a fairer and better deal for the East Midlands in Europe.
I am ready to work with our members and supporters to win for Labour in our region.

Tweet your support: #Rory1forEastMids