Diana Wallis MEP: Why I am supporting Barroso as Commission President

11.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 17th Sep 2009

In her latest video piece, Diana Wallis MEP, a Vice President of the European Parliament explains why she supported José Manuel Barroso as the Commission President. In the piece, the full version of which can be accessed on the right hand side of the front page of the website she says:

"The main item for this Strasbourg plenary to consider has been the election of José Manuel Barroso as the new Commission president. I say new but, of course, he has been the President for the past 5 years. I was really pleased in the vote yesterday that we gave him a mandate for the next five years. He might not be from my direct political family in that he is not what we would call in the UK a Liberal Democrat but he is from the centre-right and I think it speaks volumes that he is proposed by his own Portuguese Government which is actually Socialist.

"The most telling thing he said to me I think, both during the election procedure and afterwards, was when he said 'my political party is Europe' and that means a lot to me. It tells me that Europe and making Europe work is central to his values and beliefs and he wants a Europe based on values and based on solidarity so on that ground alone I was pleased to give him my support and I look forward to working with him and the Commission he chooses over the next 5 years."