East Midlands MEP youngest to be sworn in

East Midlands Conservative MEP, Emma McClarkin, is the youngest MEP (at the age of just 30) in the country to be sworn into office today.

Miss McClarkin was elected in June to the European Parliament, and despite being the youngest member to represent the UK she is determined to sort Europe out from the inside. Speaking about being sworn in Miss McClarkin said; “I feel very privileged to be representing the views of my constituents in the East Midlands in the Parliament, and I am looking forward to the challenges ahead.”

Miss McClarkin is going into this with a strong idea of what she would like to see changed for the East Midlands as well as for the UK. She will be campaigning tirelessly for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty as well as reducing red tape in business, to enable small businesses in the East Midlands to develop even through the recession.

Miss McClarkin would like to see more investment into the East Midlands and has already started to work with the East Midlands European Office to see where more funding can be secured. Emma commented; “It’s about encouraging less bureaucracy, less interference and better regulation where required.”

Emma is also hoping that being the youngest MEP will help re-connect young people in the east Midlands with the political process; “ I hope that young people will begin to see that it is something that they can get involved in, I feel this is especially important with European politics, as it is very difficult to get people engaged in something which appears to be happening so far away from their everyday lives and experiences.”

The Conservatives in the Parliament have created a new grouping, which is supported by both Emma and her colleague Roger Helmer. The new grouping will be providing for the first time a non-federalist opposition.
Emma says; “I believe the new group will provide us with great opportunities to reflect the views of the great many people across the East Midlands who think that less Europe, not more, is the answer.”