The decision by David Cameron to pull the Tories out of the EPP and form the ECR was a victory of principle and party politics over pragmatism. While many Tory grassroots howled with joy, it is worth examining the practical consequences on Tory influence in the European Parliament – not to reverse the decision, but validate or disprove the oft-made charge that the decision has made the Torie...

Gary Titley MEP fires a broadside at Cameron’s Conservatives in Europe: “…Tories are still Tories. David Cameron might claim they have changed, but we see the real face of the Conservatives in the European parliament. In the last year alone Tory MEPs voted against fighting the trafficking of women, energy efficiency, the Fundamental Rights Agency and

Every other British political party has their eye off UKIP. First of all the 4th June European Parliament elections are happening a year or so before a general election and UKIP are not a threat at national level. So as Labour, Tories and Lib Dems shadow box for the national poll, so UKIP can pour all their

Tory Leader David Cameron showed the strain of fighting a Euro elections campaign today with a clear case of amnesia on Sky's Sunday Live Adam Boulton show. Cameron mistakenly claimed that UKIP had voted to allow Spanish vessels into British waters during a European Parliament vote on fishing rights and quotas in the Shetland Box. In fact, UKIP voted that British vessels should have the right...

I was surprised to be sent an interesting paper by two former UKIP researchers looking, amongst other things, at the possible outcome of the European elections: John Petley, who worked for the UKIP delegation in Brussels before resigning in mysterious circumstances last years; and Gary Cartwright, who is Tom Wise's researcher in the European Parliament. If these UKIP researchers are right, then

José Manuel Barroso says the Tory plan to leave the European People's party means they will be no longer be part of a group that helps to 'shape the European agenda' David Cameron's decision to withdraw the Conservative party from the main centre-right group in the European parliament was today criticised by the president of the European commission. In a rare interventio...

It is a promising sign. The European Parliament has reacted to reports on wide-spread sleaze. But the statement is an almost blanket denial. The issues are serious enough to merit space. First, let the EP speak. Then we try to evaluate the measures and trust of the European Parliament. *** European Parliament press statement On 24 February 2009 the European Parliament issued the following press re...

With former Tory donor Stuart Wheeler in attendance, fresh from his speech at the UKIP Spring Conference, the charge will be lead by Gerard Batten MEP who has been representing London in the European Parliament for the last five years, fighting moves on increasing EU membership to more Eastern European countries and Turkey and the further immigration problems this will cause. Also present will be ...

Well you can take the man out of UKIP but you can't take UKIP out of the man. I had the pleasure of working with Marta quite closely for several weeks during UKIP the European Parliament Election Campaign and when I read this article in the Daily Mail I thought it summed her up very nicely. I am certain she will make a great MEP and the Brussels Apperachniks will NOT be pleased to see her bac...

Ed DaveyEdward Davey is writing to UKIP Leader Nigel Farage challenging him to publish his MEPs’ expense claims and to account for their shameful record of voting for perks and secrecy in the European Parliament. When Nigel Farage first went to Brussels, he promised to publish his accounts annually ‘so the public can inspect them', but since then neither he nor his UKIP collea...