Rebel Tory MEPs Warned to Abandon Ukip Motion

Anthony Butcher · 18-05-2005, 01:00 PM

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4568690

Quote:

Five rebel Tory Euro-MPs were warned today to withdraw their names from a censure motion against European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso or face “very serious consequences”.

The five – Daniel Hannan, Christopher Heaton-Harris, Roger Helmer, Martin Callanan and David Sumberg – have broken ranks by joining a UK Independence Party campaign to haul Mr Barroso before the European Parliament to explain his links with shipping billionaire Spiros Latsis.

Now Tory Euro-leader Timothy Kirkhope has given the five until Thursday to remove their names from a list of 77 MEPs who have signed the censure motion.

The motion has helped force a debate later this month about alleged free yachting holidays, lavish hospitality and potential conflicts of interest.

Letters to each of the five warn of “very serious consequences” if they continue to back the censure move.

None of the five was contactable today, but those with long-term career prospects with the Tories – Mr Heaton-Harris would like a Westminster seat – were considering their options.

If the five Tories remove their names, the censure motion will fall, sparing Mr Barroso the prospect of questions about his friends in high places.

Even if it goes ahead, it has no chance of bringing down Mr Barroso’s Commission team – none of the main political parties in the 732-strong European Parliament support censure.

But Ukip leader in Strasbourg Nigel Farage has surprised everyone by mustering more than the minimum necessary 74 signatures to put the issue on the agenda.

He acted after Mr Barroso refused to answer a formal written Parliamentary question about the holiday arrangements of all Commissioners, and also rejected calls for a “full disclosure” policy about Commissioners’ holiday arrangements and social contacts.

But Mr Barroso did confirm he had spent a family holiday last August aboard the yacht of his old friend, Mr Latsis.

The holiday came one month before a company in the Latsis stable was given the green light by the Commission to receive state aid worth 10 million euros (£7 million), claims Mr Farage.

Mr Barroso had not started his Commission job when he took the holiday, and there are no allegations of wrongdoing.

But he had been appointed two months earlier as Commission chief and Mr Farage says the Commission’s top brass should avoid putting themselves in situations where a conflict of interest could arise.

He wants to use the censure motion to embarrass Mr Barroso INTO phpbb_agreeing to set up a register logging Commissioners’ holiday details and any gifts they receive.

The fact that the censure debate is due to happen on the eve of a knife-edge French decision on whether to back the EU’s new Constitution is an added bonus for Ukip.

But if all five Tories are forced to withdraw their names, other MEPs will apply pressure to withdraw the entire censure motion, on the grounds that it no longer has the support of at least 74 members of the parliament.

Good to see the Tories are preventing their MEPs from supporting greater openness in the EU. If the British public ever believed the lie that the Tories are "eurosceptic", now is the time to disbelieve.

mkpdavies · 18-05-2005, 01:06 PM

Has Kilroy signed yet? I would take heart to see Farage approach him, if he hasn't already and for RKS to sign. Some things are above party politics!

FuroraCeltica · 18-05-2005, 04:24 PM

My advice to those Tory MEP's is join a party that truly means what it says about EU withdrawal; join UKIP!

Alex McKee · 18-05-2005, 11:07 PM

Hopefully they will. However experience would say that they will tuck their tails between their legs and back off on this. As always.

rjt · 26-05-2005, 10:27 AM

Yes I agree with that Alex. Time and again the Torys make themselves out to be the tough man when dealing with Europe but like Labour and the Lib Dems they run away when they need to stand up and be counted. Nigel Farage has worked hard to bring forth this censure motion which whilst accepting that it will not succeed would at least gain more coverage to help highlight the curupt nature of the EU.

18-05-2005, 01:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,069 Party: Libertarian Party	Has Kilroy signed yet? I would take heart to see Farage approach him, if he hasn't already and for RKS to sign. Some things are above party politics! __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

18-05-2005, 04:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
FuroraCeltica Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Manchester Posts: 448	My advice to those Tory MEP's is join a party that truly means what it says about EU withdrawal; join UKIP! __________________ Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption. John Stuart Mill One person with a belief is equal to ninety-nine who have only interests. Stuart Mill

18-05-2005, 11:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
Alex McKee Moderator Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Gloucester Posts: 6,666	Hopefully they will. However experience would say that they will tuck their tails between their legs and back off on this. As always. __________________ Anything I post on this web forum is my personal opinion only. Users on Ignore list: None.

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26-05-2005, 10:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
rjt Uber Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Aldershot Posts: 5,767 Party: Other	Yes I agree with that Alex. Time and again the Torys make themselves out to be the tough man when dealing with Europe but like Labour and the Lib Dems they run away when they need to stand up and be counted. Nigel Farage has worked hard to bring forth this censure motion which whilst accepting that it will not succeed would at least gain more coverage to help highlight the curupt nature of the EU.