High Peak Liberal Democrats

Commenting on today's [Tuesday] report by the House of Lords European Union Committee into the potential opt-out of cross-border policing and justice measures, Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander said:

"Crime is increasingly international. If we're going to stop the gangs that are responsible for trafficking drugs and people to the UK, we have to work closely with police and judicial authorities across Europe.

"Discussions about the exercise of the mass opt-out are on-going within government. However, I am clear that any final package will have to ensure the UK's continued participation in all the key measures which are important for public safety, including the European Arrest Warrant and Europol.

"Police co-operation is one area where Britain leads the way in Europe. We should be proud of our achievements and we should preserve and extend them wherever possible."

The Facts:

The Coalition Government has announced its intention to use the 2014 EU criminal law opt-out, negotiated by the previous Labour Government, subject to agreement to opt back in to a range of important measures. Danny Alexander is leading negotiations for the Liberal Democrats within the Coalition over which measures to opt back in to.

Bill Newton Dunn - Liberal Democrat MEP for the East Midlands comments

It would be deeply damaging for the country to be obliged by the minority of euro-sceptic Conservative MPs to opt out of cooperation with our neighbours.

Also the rule in the Lisbon Treaty requires the UK to say whether it is opting out or not by April 2014 (because that is the clause in the Lisbon treaty which the UK signed). If we opt out there will then be a minimum period of eight months before the UK can opt back into any police cooperation - which means we will be entirely on our own in the second half of next year. If I was the boss of a criminal gang, I would be rubbing my hands with gleeful anticipation and would be strongly supporting the euro-sceptic Conservative MPs with lots of money."