Trusting souls repeat Department of Transport myth
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T fear you have fallen for the IDepEirtment of Transport's attempt to wash its hands of responsibility for EC speed limiter legislation,
Your claim in CM13-19 May, that "Britain's viewpoint was overruled by our European partners" under qualified majority voting when the Directive was agreed. This is not so.
The agreement was supported by all twelve EC countries, including Britain.
The myth has its roots in the fact that Britain was represented at the decisive meeting by a diplomat, not a minister. (Malcolm Rifkind, Transport Secretary at the time was detained in London by an IRA bomb).
But the diplomat merely followed Rifkind's instructions. If these had been to reject the legislation his vote would have been as valid as Rifkincrs. But he was told to accept it.
The DOT never actually denies this. But nor does it ever set the record straight when trusting souls repeat the myth. Reg Dawson
Brussels.
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