Expelled Tory MEP claims party 'vilified' him

Jonathan Reed Political Editor

THE Yorkshire MEP expelled from the Tories has accused the party of conducting a smear campaign against him and called for an internal inquiry into his treatment.

Edward McMilllan-Scott, who was kicked out after launching a fierce attack on the party’s new Polish ally in Europe, has written to Tory MPs seeking their support.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He says a senior MP should be appointed to conduct an inquiry claiming his expulsion has been an “own goal” for the party that threatens to become a General Election issue.

He claims party officials withdrew the whip from him to divert attention from the party’s decision to link up with Polish MEP Michal Kaminski, who has been forced to deny allegations of links to anti-semitism.

“Expelling me from the party until after the next European Election has been a CCHQ (Conservative central office) own goal and it is time it was corrected – by politicians,” he says in an email.

“David Cameron may well be unaware of what has been taking place but my numerous attempts to achieve an amicable solution are being systematically blocked by CCHQ.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The veteran MEP was re-elected to the European Parliament last year as a Tory, but fell out with the party after it broke links with the main centre-Right grouping and linked up in a new anti-federalist grouping with Mr Kaminski’s Law and Order party.

After raising concerns about Mr Kaminski’s background – claiming he has anti-semitic and homophobic links, accusations the Pole denies – he infuriated the Tories by successfully running against him to be re-elected as one of the Parliament’s vice presidents on a “point of principle”.

He accuses the party hierarchy of ignoring its principles and constitution in the way he has been treated, including a letter sent to senior Tories in the region and being “vilified” by Press officers, and is planning a legal appeal against his expulsion. In his email to MPs he gives 10 bullet points to spell out his argument, and suggests a member of the backbench 1922 committee could lead the inquiry.

Mr McMillan-Scott’s outburst infuriated many Tory members, not least because he won his seat standing as a Tory.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He insists he has had many messages of support, and now sits in the European Parliament as an Independent Conservative.

The fact that his stance won support from many Labour activists means wounds in the Tory ranks are unlikely to heal quickly. It also put him at loggerheads with fellow Yorkshire and Humber MEP Timothy Kirkhope, who leads the Tory delegation in Brussels.

The Tories insist Mr McMillan-Scott was given the opportunity to retract his comments about Mr Kaminski, but he refused.

Related topics: