West Herts Lib Dems Hold Second Successful Summer Garden Party in Potten End with Baroness Bowles
The West Hertfordshire Liberal Democrat Local Party held their second successful Summer Garden Party on the evening of Tuesday 9th August at Binghams Park, Potten End Hill between Potten End and Water End. The area covered by the West Herts Local Party comprises Hemel Hempstead, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, Croxley and Berkhamsted & Tring.
Guests enjoyed a fine summer's evening, soft drinks, wine and beer plus a buffet supper supplemented by refreshing gazpacho and delicious strawberry sorbet.
The Guest Speaker was Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted (Sharon Bowles). Sharon lives in Bourne End and became a member of the House of Lords last year. She spoke about her experiences in the Party and in the European Parliament where she served as an MEP for South East of England for 9 years.
Sharon was appointed as Chair of the European Parliament's Economic & Monetary Affairs Committee in 2009. This powerful committee is responsible for financial regulation, the free movement of capital and payments, tax provisions, competition and currency.
She was the first Liberal and the first Briton ever to chair this key committee. Her appointment exemplified the leading role that the UK played within the EU in helping set financial and monetary policy.
Her contribution to European finance and her support for the City and the British economy were both recognised when she was short-listed for the post of Governor of the Bank of England as the sponsored candidate of the London Stock Exchange.
In discussing the current situation and ways in which UK's new future might develop, she pointed out that in European eyes the referendum result was decisive. They did not understand why the UK has not yet invoked Article 50. Some countries did not see why, after such a clear mandate to leave there was any point in delaying and negotiating a new deal, which they did not believe the British people really wanted. However Sharon pointed out that a less hasty approach was essential. The British government needs to at least try to get an acceptable arrangement to enable the City of London to continue trading financial services across the continent and to handling euro transactions, the bulk of which at present are still carried out in London. She felt that a change of heart was developing in Europe that was more accepting of a less rigid approach to continued trading relations.
Members were grateful to the hospitality of the Local Party Chair, Sally Symington, for hosting the event at her home.
Grazia Bernareggi, who lives locally, brought all the ingedients with her to freshly prepare the gazpacho and sorbets for the guests on the spot. She used a Thermomix smart food processor manufactured by Vorwerk & Co. Demonstrations can be arranged by contacting her on mg.bernareggi@somervail.net
