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Letter to the Editor
The Times - Tuesday 1st November 2005 Dear Sir, Your article on David Cameron's position regarding Tory MEPs and the EPP group presents a very one-sided view. You describe the EPP as "the main right-wing party in the European parliament". But the EPP itself angrily rejects the term "right-wing", and insists that it is a centre party. On many social and employment issues, the EPP is to the left of New Labour, and indeed to the left of the European Liberals. The EPP describes itself as "the motor of European integration". It wants an EU army, an EU justice system, an EU "FBI". It wants an end to the British rebate and to the UK's permanent seat on the UN Security Council. It wants the euro and the EU Constitution. Just which part of this agenda are Conservative MEPs supposed to support? Most party members who discover what the EPP stands for are appalled that we continue to associate with it. A recent survey by my Anglia colleague Geoffrey van Orden MEP found around 70% of members opposed to the link. There is no question of Tory MEPs linking with "racist and neo-fascist parties". So whom might we look to as allies? A good example is the Polish Law and Justice party, a sound conservative party which now controls both the parliament and the Presidency in one of the EU's larger member-states. Your article suggests that a overwhelming majority of Conservative MEPs opposes the move out of the EPP. In fact a number support it, and many more will follow the policy of the Party leader. For years, eurosceptic MEPs have had to bite their tongues and continue to sit with the federalist EPP out of a sense of party loyalty. It is now time for those on the other end of the spectrum to show similar loyalty and restraint. Yours faithfully Roger Helmer East Midlands Conservative MEP |