User:Sceptic/Open Europe draft
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Open Europe is a London-based Eurosceptic think-tank. It advocates reform of the European Union and the reversal of the process of European integration rather than outright withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU.
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[edit] Supporters
Open Europe is run by many of the same individuals involved in the campaign groups Business for Sterling and the No Euro campaign [1] which were wound up as the prospect of British entry into the euro and the introduction of the EU Constitution receded.
- Chairman: Lord Leach of Fairford, former Chairman of Business for Sterling.
- Deputy Chairman: Derek Scott, Economics Advisor to Tony Blair (1997-2003) and current visiting professor at London's Cass Business School.
Other supporters
- Michael Spencer, founder and Chief Executive of Icap, owner of spread betting firm City Index and chairman of stockbroking firm Numis Securities.
- Simon Wolfson, Chief Executive of Next (retailer).
- Stuart Rose, Chief Executive of Marks & Spencer.
[edit] Activities
Open Europe holds regular seminars and discussions on EU reform. Recent speakers at Open Europe events include William Hague, Gisela Stuart, Don Brash, Vincent Cable and Professor John Gillingham
It also publishes original research Beyond the European Social Model, The High Price of Hot Air and newspaper articles in support of its aims [2] [3] [4].
[edit] Criticisms
Peter Mandelson attacked the group in an interview in the Guardian. He said that the real agenda of the group was “less integration, less strength embodied in our single market and fewer opportunities to build our economic strength.” He argued that “Those are the people who are most insidious since they maintain a pretence of being open to Europe but actually want to lead Britain away from and out of Europe.” [5]
Daily Telegraph journalist David Rennie criticised an opinion poll carried out by Open Europe “I hate to say this, because I know and like the Open Europe people, but I think the bulk of their poll is not that useful, because the wording of their questions was not neutral enough.” [6]
