Norway report from Val Stevens

Report from Oslo 2016 – by Val Stevens

Just after Christmas an old political friend and I decided to drive to Oslo this month. We are both retired and at a loose end. I took the opportunity to build into the trip a meeting with LI members in Norway. We happened to be away when the weather turned cold everywhere and even the Norwegians complained about the unseasonably cold -17C. My co driver was also a member of the Labour Party in the UK so came along too. I met three very enthusiastic members Chris Huby, Arun Ghosh and Denise Sutton and two of their partners.  Chris and Arun joined last year and it was good to get their views face to face about the amazing increase in membership brought about by the optimism of the Jeremy Corbyn Leadership Campaign.  They were small in number but very keen to arrange political meetings for a wider audience including members of our sister party in Norway. Denise works for the EU Ambassador to Norway so was very aware of the differences between EU membership and the alternatives. They all promised to give their own individual views about the EU especially as Norway is often quoted as an examplar by the UK out campaigns.  Denise told me that the argument is still taking place in Norway. Now that the Schengen agreement for free movement is under threat the debate is topical in Norway as one of the signatories. Chris’s wife Hilde, works in health research and said that the health system in Norway is not good and Chris was in a good position to compare systems as a retired GP. All in all we had a good political discussion with good company with an excellent meal.