LOCAL Euro MP Gary Titley will be among the speakers at a special weekend meeting and seminar in Manchester.

Pro-Europeans from across the north west will gather tomorrow to plan their campaign activities in the run-up to this year's European elections and to discuss the draft European constitutional treaty.

Mr Titley, whose office is in Radcliffe, will be one of the guest speakers at the event.

Mr Gary Arthurs, regional director of the Prestwich-based North West in Europe, said: "With the continuing debate on the constitutional treaty, the enlargement of the EU from 15 to 25 members, the European Parliament elections on June 10 and the issue of UK membership of the single currency still to be resolved, 2004 will be a crucial year for all those who believe that the UK's future prosperity and security is best served by remaining a leading player at the heart of Europe."

Commenting on the draft constitutional treaty, he added: "To date, debate on Europe's new constitution has created more heat than light.

"The all too familiar mythmaking and scaremongering and also the process by which the UK should ratify the new treaty have dominated it.

"Our meeting will concentrate on the actual proposals in the constitution and arm pro-Europeans with the facts and confidence to argue the case for the new constitution and to challenge those whose aim, whether explicit or implicit, is to see the UK leave the European Union".