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Tory rebel calls for rethink on EU
THE Euro MP who lost the Tory whip has challenged David Cameron to re-think the party's new Brussels alliance this summer as he faces a backlash from party grassroots in Yorkshire.
Edward McMillan-Scott defied the Tory leader after objecting to a member of Poland's Law and Justice Party – vilified for homophobic views and with whom the Tories have joined forces in Europe – becoming the party's choice for European Parliament vice-president.
The veteran MEP, who successfully stood against Michael Kaminski to become vice-president himself, said he hopes Mr Cameron will restore the whip over the summer and warned that the party needs to think about "where its best interests lie" after the Tory leader controversially deserted the main centre-right European People's Party (EPP) group.
Mr McMillan-Scott has angered many Tory activists by taking his stand just weeks after the European elections.
In a letter to the Yorkshire Post, Brian Peacock, writing on behalf of himself and his wife Elizabeth, former MP for Batley and Spen, said: "His decision to stand as an Independent for the position of vice-president thus opposing the Conservative supported candidate from Poland, and the consequent withdrawal of the Conservative whip has handed the initiative for Yorkshire representation to UKIP and the BNP.
"Is that what Yorkshire wishes? A majority would probably say 'no'."
Mr Peacock claims Mr McMillan-Scott should have taken the "honourable route" and stood as an Independent in June's European elections, insisting he must have known he was unhappy "with the longstanding Cameron decision and commitment to form a new political grouping within the European Parliament".
Conservative supporter David Hanna, from Halifax, has also accused Mr McMillan-Scott of "blatantly disregarding the wishes of the public". He said he was "disgusted" by the MEP's "arrogant" actions.
Mr Kaminski was nominated as the new group's candidate for vice-president in a deal that would see fellow Yorkshire MEP Timothy Kirkhope become leader of the new European Conservatives and Reformists group, which also includes the Czech Civic Democratic Party and MEPs from Latvia, Hungary and the Netherlands.
The Tory MEP became concerned about Mr Kaminski's previous links with the far-right National Revival of Poland and concluded he was "completely inappropriate and unsuitable".
Now, Mr Kaminski has ended up as leader of the group instead leaving Mr Kirkhope sidelined and a cloud hanging over Mr McMillan-Scott's future. Mr Cameron had pleaded with him not to oppose Mr Kaminski.
Mr McMillan-Scott urged Mr Cameron to re-think the choice of new partners. He said: "I think the party's got to think over the coming weeks about where its best interests lie in its relationship with the EU. I don't think David Cameron was well advised to pursue some of the links."
He said he understood the grassroots concerns, but said he complied "completely" with the election manifesto and had accepted the setting up of a new group despite "reservations".
"It was only when Mr Kaminski was nominated that he began to have reservations, he said, adding he had been convinced that Mr Cameron "would not send us to the wilder shores of the European Parliament".
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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