Cathy Ashton - a European Hillary Clinton - 2009-12-02

Baroness Cathy Ashton was today called 'a European version of Hillary Clinton' in a formal session of the Foreign Affairs committee of the European Parliament today. 

MEPs from outside the UK literally laughed off domestic political attacks against Baroness Ashton from right wing British MEPs during her first appearance in the European Parliament Foreign Affairs committee in her new role as the EU's High Representative today (Wednesday December 2nd).

British Labour Foreign Affairs Spokesman, Richard Howitt MEP, who was a lead questioner to Baroness Ashton, said

"There are some hard choices in projecting Europe's soft power and, though she wouldn't say it herself, this is the appointment of a European version of Hillary Clinton.

"There are high expectations for the High Representative and she rightly rejects the idea of a European policy being the lowest common denominator.

"Cathy Ashton didn't shy away from her obligations to talk tough when needed, and to tackle early challenges. These include the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Europe's response to the Honduras elections, continuing work on further sanctions against Iran and preparing for land-based as well as sea-based intervention in Somalia," he said.

Baroness Ashton was able to totally deny a UK Independence Party question that as former Treasurer of CND (Britain's Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), she oversaw the receipt of Soviet funding. Richard Howitt commented: "The UK Independence Party is attempting to revive a modern-day version the infamous 'Zinoviev letter', another lie which destabilised the earliest Labour MPs. Their new allegations are just as fraudulent. ," he said. 

British Tory MEPs also questioned Baroness Ashton's competence for the new role:-

"When Tory MEPs questioned whether Cathy Ashton is a serious appointment, it was laughed off by MEPs quite literally from across the political spectrum," he said.

› Back