Freedom of opportunity is what matters in a free society - UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge

“Freedom of opportunity is the main and only thing that matters in a real truly free society.” UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge at the European Parliament, Brussels, 02 December 2015. Debate: Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges.

- Oral question - [2015/2967(RSP)]

Video: EbS (European Parliament) Source: UKIP MEPs YouTube channel.

Transcript:

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Forty percent share of women as a binding rule across the EU in boardrooms as mentioned by the commissioner. Any intervention on this scale is a blatant intervention into the free market by the state. Without free markets, free market enterprises, you don't have free people. What we need to be looking at is equality of opportunity. Not equality of outcome. That's the most important thing. It's very very important that politicians and well-meaning state authorities don't start with this kind of thing, closing down freedoms, in order to have laudable goals. Freedom of opportunity is the main and only thing that matters in a real truly free society.