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		Letter to the Editor EU Reporter - Tuesday 17th January 2006 Dear Sir I was delighted by your headline (Jan 16th) "H-Block Rules OK!". But I was astonished to read that Hans-Gert Poettering is accusing British Conservatives of bad faith. We had a deal under which the "ED" fraction of the EPP-ED would be given a degree of local autonomy, and respect for our distinctive position on constitutional issues. Poettering has comprehensively reneged on the deal, the "ED" remains a cosmetic fiction, the agreement is a dead letter, and British Conservatives certainly have no further obligations to the EPP. I was also fairly surprised by the observation that "The Liberals hold sway in the EP". It is true that they represent a significant voting bloc: and the lesson is that our new group that Conservative leader David Cameron has promised will exercise similar clout. At last the EPP will be forced to pay attention to us and negotiate with us if they want our support. We will have far more influence with the EPP as good neighbour than as a reluctant tenant. Finally, I must take issue with your line "Roger Helmer ... is closely identified with UKIP". No I'm not. I talk to MEPs from many different parties and groups, but I have been a conservative since I was in short trousers, I was elected as a conservative, and I intend to remain a conservative. I shall be a much happier conservative in a new centre-right, free-market, pro-nation-state group than I ever was in the EPP. Yours faithfully Roger Helmer MEP