Britain needs to be at the heart of Europe

12.45.50pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 17th May 2009

The Lib Dems launch their campaign for the South-East Region in Oxford

Times are tough in Britain. The recession is hitting people and families hard: tens of thousands are losing their jobs, businesses are failing, and every week hundreds are losing their homes. Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg said: "We can only protect British families from crime, the recession and climate change if our country works with other European Union countries."

The European Parliament election on June 4th is a big choice for Britain. Labour's insular arrogance has messed up Britain's relationship with other European countries. The Conservatives think that Britain can face the economic storm, climate change, international crime, people-trafficking and terrorism better on its own.

Liberal Democrats know effective cooperation creates prosperity - more than 3 million jobs in the UK depend on trade with other European Union countries. Liberal Democrats are working with our European neighbours to protect Britain and catch terrorists and criminals who operate across national borders.

Said Lib Dem city councillor Alan Armitage, who is also chairman of the Oxfordshire branch of the European Movement: "I am proud that the Liberal Democrats are the only British political party to have supported the European Union consistently for over fifty years. With all the challenges of the present and of the future, Britain needs to be at the heart of Europe more than ever. If we want to tackle the big issues - economic success, protecting the environment, human rights, peace and justice - we have to work closely with our friends in Europe."

To find out more about the Lib Dem campaign in the South East, visit www.libdems4europe.org.uk

To see the Liberal Democrat manifesto for the European Parliament elections, visit:

http://www.libdems.org.uk/news/europe-2009-stronger-together-poorer-apart-255147569;show