By Martin Banks - 14th October 2009
This is an internal reshuffle
Linda McAvan
British MEP Linda McAvan has hit back over Conservative claims that British prime minister Gordon Brown has "downgraded" the post of UK Europe minister.
Her comments follow the decision to move former MEP Glenys Kinnock from the job after just four months.
She has swapped portfolios with Chris Bryant who was a junior foreign office minister with responsibility for Africa and Asia.
Bryant will remain a parliamentary under-secretary of state - the lowest ministerial rank - meaning that the job, formerly held by a minister, has been downgraded.
A senior source for the UK Tory group in parliament told this website the move had come as a "surprise".
"This is a crucial time for Europe, with the start of a new parliament and, shortly, a new commission," he said.
"The Lisbon treaty is still to be ratified and, if it is, it will create important new posts, such as a presidency of the council.
"So, this decision to clearly downgrade the post of UK Europe minister has taken a lot of people by surprise.
"The Tories are accused of not wanting the UK to remain at the heart of Europe and not taking EU affairs seriously but what sort of signals is Labour sending out by doing this?"
Kinnock did not stand in June's European elections after she was appointed to the job by Brown.
She was a party spokesperson in parliament on international development. Her husband Neil was a vice president of the commission and former Labour leader.
In a letter to the PM, Kinnock's predecessor, Caroline Flint, said she resented not being taken seriously.
Responding to the news, McAvan said it was "ridiculous" to suggest the post of Europe minister had been downgraded.
She said, "This is an internal reshuffle, no more than that, and does not mean the post is being taken any less seriously than before.
"Lady Kinnock, with her vast experience of Africa, is a natural choice for that post while Chris Bryant has been the party's spokesman on Europe in the House of Commons while Kinnock, of course, sits in the House of Lords."
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