Jim Murphy

Changing relationships - the US, UK and EU

For those of you who have been following my visit to the US I thought I should post a quick blog on a second speech I gave. I spoke at the Brookings Institution this morning in Washington. The topic was about the evolution of the transatlantic agenda, and the vital role of public diplomacy in it. Click here to read it . Let me know what you think.

There was a good discussion about climate change, Russia, the media and cooperation between democracies. I enjoyed it and it was great of Brookings to host it. Its been a busy 24 hours for them with British politicians because my friend and UK Defence Secretary Des Browne spoke there yesterday. Click here to read his speech 

Posted at 14:52 12 July 2008 by Jim Murphy  |  Comments[3]

Is climate change man made?

I thought I should post a second blog on my visit to Utah. I had lunch with the Mayor of Salt Lake City and the President of the Senate as well as other senior politicians. It was fascinating. I was in a minority in believing that climate change was indeed man made. Some of the politicians cited the various reports which claim that climate change is not new, and is simply the earth's natural cycle which repeats itself over time. These reports seem to have a real influence on them.

There were also concerns because Utah is more than 80% reliant on coal for its fuel. I explained that fossil fuel has an important future as long as we invest to make coal cleaner.

So in Britain the conversation has largely moved beyond the question of "is this a man made problem?" to trying to find the answer to "what do we do to repair our environment?"

But despite the strong leadership of Governor Huntsman some senior people in Utah are still sincerely and passionately debating the first question. While it is easy to criticise these views, it is more important to try to convince them of ours. Happy to hear your ideas on how it can be done.

Posted at 08:12 09 July 2008 by Jim Murphy  |  Comments[7]

Public Diplomacy and climate change on the west coast

I was in Los Angeles yesterday and I'm in Salt Lake City today as part of a visit to the USA to launch a book on public diplomacy. Academics, consultants, communicators, diplomats and myself have contributed essays about how governments need to revisit the idea of public diplomacy given the new context we're doing foreign policy in: the challenges of globalisation; the opportunities of new media and IT; and the power of publics and not just governments to deliver change. You can read the book online.

With the launch of the UK's consultation on renewable energy and France's aim to get a Europe wide agreement on renewables during the French Presidency of the EU (in the next 25 weeks), I'm also talking about climate change and low carbon in the west. In the spirit of a new kind of public diplomacy, I talked to policy influencers rather than policy makers in California - like the Climate Registry which is recording and tracking businesses' emissions before federal rules in the US require it - so they're making a difference now. And in Utah I met Governor Huntsman to compare the challenges faced by a state 98% dependent on fossil fuels, and to listen to their plans on how to reshape Utah's economy.

Posted at 22:44 08 July 2008 by Jim Murphy  |  Comments[0]

Chevening Reception

I'm finally getting the chance to blog about my visit to Edinburgh last week.  I attended one of our annual receptions for Chevening scholars, which are held all over the UK. 

I met a fascinating group of scholars from a wide range of countries studying at several different Scottish universities, plus one studying at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland.  The Chevening scholarship scheme is important for the FCO and for the UK because it brings to the UK the people who have been identified by our embassies and other overseas posts as the future opinion formers and leaders of their countries. 

All the people I met in Edinburgh showed that they have the spark to be the 'changemakers' and to lead their countries into the future.  So I send them all my best wishes: for their dissertations in the next few months; and in the longer term for a continuing relationship with the UK.

We will be changing funding in future years to redirect FCO resources into climate change efforts, so competition for places will be even keener, but we do want to do more to keep in touch with alumni through the new Chevening website (www.chevening.com).

Posted at 16:22 01 July 2008 by Jim Murphy  |  Comments[0]

Spain

There are 17 million UK visitors to Spain every year. This week I have added to that number. Looking back at a day in Madrid, I am really struck by the opportunities there are for UK-Spanish cooperation. We have a tradition of strong relations with Spain. But we can do more because we're natural partners within the EU and beyond. At a speech I gave at an event hosted by Nueva Economia Forum I outlined our shared thinking: on tackling climate change, on building a high performing European economy with a low carbon output, on working with countries in Africa to develop effective migration policies. And throughout the day, I felt the buzz and energy of the new government (I think Deputy Foreign Minister Lossada's meeting with me was not only his first in his new job, but the first time he'd even been into his new office!). There is a real appetite to push forward and get results.

Posted at 11:14 24 April 2008 by Jim Murphy  |  Comments[3]

Meetings in Paris

At the end of last week, less than 24 hours after having voted against a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in the House of Commons, I was in Paris to talk about how we can get Europe to do more on climate change, the economy, security and many other things that we and the French are working really hard on.

I also visited the Equitess community project in Val de Fontanay, a Paris suburb, which is aimed at giving people the skills they need to get back to work. It's been put together with some European money and a lot of goodwill and determination. It's an inspirational project, and there are ideas here that we could possibly learn from.

I talked to the French Europe Minister, Jean-Pierre Jouyet, about this and many other issues when we met on Friday. You can see a video taken during our meeting here:

Written transcript

JM

Here I am in Paris with Jean-Pierre Jouyet, my good friend and French Minister for Europe. We have had lunch and just had a press conference to go through all the big issues facing Europe and France which is so important to the United Kingdom.

President Sarkozy will be in the United Kingdom later this month and also France will be the President of the European Union later this year and that's why I was here with Jean-Pierre.

We had such a detailed conversation about things like Climate Change, International Security and the Economy. But you have heard enough from me on this by this diary I just want to pass over to Jean-Pierre to give his reflections on what we have spoken about.

JP

Yes I think that it was a very good meeting it's always a pleasure to have a meeting with Jim in Paris.

I want to tell you before that I'm very happy of the outcome of the debate in the House of Commons about the ratification of the Treaty and we were very appreciate of the role that Jim played in this vote in Parliament, it's very good news for UK, it's very good news for Europe and I am also to tell that I am very happy between French and the United Kingdom now we act in the spirit of confidence we share many common goals about the fight against Global Warming, about the International Security, about also the role that the member states have to play in Europe and to play to have Europe stronger in the globalisation and last but not the least spoke about football because we have common appetite for football. I know that Jim had no time to see the match because he was very busy with the parliament during this week but we want also to try to work on the sport and the impact of sport in social cohesion for the youth and so on and very good as usual to have this kind of very friendly meeting with Jim.

JM

Thank you

JP

Thank you, thank you.

Posted at 14:36 12 March 2008 by Jim Murphy  |  Comments[0]

The Lisbon Treaty (Again)

The House of Commons voted late on Wednesday night not to have a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. The main reason being that we only ever have referenda on matters that are constitutional. The Lisbon Treaty is not a Constitution. 

It was right to have a referendum on devolution from Scotland and Wales. It would be right to have a referendum if there was a proposal to join the Euro. But Britian has never had a referendum on any European Treaty under any Prime Minister of either Labour or Conservative Governments.

Politicans now have to stop talking about European rules and Treaties and do more to deliver on climate change and jobs. That's exactly what I am doing today. As I write this I am on the Eurostar to Paris for discussions with the French government. Will keep you posted.

Posted at 09:10 07 March 2008 by Jim Murphy  |  Comments[4]