The Record: Europe

7 November edition
Lucy Thomas
Producer

Conservative relations with EU under the spotlight

It's done and very nearly dusted.

The Lisbon Treaty could come into force as early as next month, but we'll be asking if it is really the blueprint for a European superstate that some fear.

What about the British Conservative party that had promised a 'cast iron guarantee' to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty if they came to power?

David Cameron this week ruled that out after it became clear there would be no more delay in ratification, after the Czech president finally put pen to paper and signed.

In place of a referendum on Lisbon, or on any other 'made up' issue, Cameron set out other plans for 'not letting matters rest' once the treaty is enforced.

These include the repatriation of social and employment policy, a 'referendum lock' so that no news powers can be transferred to Brussels without a popular poll, and a new UK sovereignty bill.

MEPs debate future UK relations with the EU

Joining Shirin Wheeler in the studio to assess the measures and what they'll mean in practice are:

• Timothy Kirkhope, leader of the British Conservative MEPs

• Glenis Willmott, the leader of the British Labour MEPs

• Graham Watson, British Liberal Democrat MEP and former leader of the Liberals and Democrats in Europe

• Derek Clarke, UKIP MEP.

Remembering 1989

Remembering the fall of the Berlin Wall

Also on the programme we look back at the events of twenty years ago, when the Berlin Wall fell.

Leaders from across Europe, and people across the world have gathered to remember the the collapse of communism and the return of countries in Eastern and central Europe to the democratic fold.

But the foundations for that moment had already been laid in Warsaw, Budapest and Moscow.

Three MEPs join Shirin Wheeler to reflect on that year, on fears at the time that reunification would lead to an overly powerful Germany, and how the events shaped the Europe we see today.

• Alexandra Thein, a newly elected German Liberal MEP was one of the first people onto the wall on the night it fell

• Charles Tannock is the British Conservative spokesman on Foreign Affairs in the European Parliament

• Jacek Saryusz Wolski leads the Polish centre right MEPs.

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The Record: Europe examines the key moments in the political week in Brussels and Strasbourg and focuses on the work of the European Parliament and European Commission.

It is broadcast on BBC Parliament on Saturdays at 2300, Sundays at 1700 and Mondays at 1000, on BBC World on Saturdays at 1330 and Sundays at 0630 and on the BBC News channel on Sundays at 0530 and Mondays at 0330.