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		What's Old - Archived stories from the "What's New" section [  July - December 2009  |  January - June 2009  |  July - December 2008  |  January - June 2008  ] [  July - December 2007  |  January - June 2007  |  July - December 2006  |  January - June 2006  ] [  July - December 2005  |  January - June 2005  |  July - December 2004  |  January - June 2004  ] [  July - December 2003  |  January - June 2003  |  July - December 2002  |  April - June 2002  ] Could Tory leadership contest be affected By MEP's status? - Thursday, 23 June 2005 The EU Reporter, a respected in-house newspaper in the European institutions, has suggested that the Conservative leadership contest could be influenced by the circumstances surrounding the recent expulsion of East Midlands Conservative MEP Roger Helmer from the EPP group in the parliament, and the suspension of the Conservative Whip. Blair urged to dump EU Charter - Thursday, 23 June 2005 Tony Blair was today challenged in the European Parliament by East Midlands Conservative MEP Roger Helmer to declare the proposed EU Constitution dead. The Prime Minister was in Brussels to set out his plans for the UK's forthcoming six-month rotating Presidency of the EU, and he reiterated his determination to press for wide-ranging reform of the organisation. Consequences of Constitution NO Votes - Thursday, 23 June 2005 Text of letter to EU Council President Jean-Claude Juncker and Commission President José Manuel Barroso Thank you Nirj! - Thursday, 16 June 2005 Nirj Deva, former Tory MP and now MEP for South East England, is facing censure after attacking his party for expelling his colleague Roger Helmer for signing a motion about the behaviour of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. EU to ban cat and dog fur trade - Thursday, 9 June 2005 Conservative MEP Roger Helmer is celebrating today after European Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Markus Kyprianou announced he intends to ban the import, export and trade in cat and dog fur in the EU following a six-year campaign by Conservative MEPs. Tory MEP expelled by EU Parliament group - Tuesday, 7 June 2005 At a meeting tonight, East Midlands Conservative MEP Roger Helmer was expelled by his political group, the European People's Party (EPP), the largest political group in the parliament. At issue was the Motion of Censure on Commission President Barroso, debated in Brussels on May 31st, relating to lavish hospitality which Barroso had received from a Greek businessman with links to the EU. 'France killed it. Holland buried it' - Thursday, 2 June 2005 East Midlands Conservative MEPs Roger Helmer and Chris Heaton-Harris are today celebrating the results of the Dutch Referendum in which the population followed the lead of France and voted emphatically to reject the EU constitution by an overwhelming 62%. Repercussions of the French No vote - Daily Telegraph - Thursday, 2 June 2005 Many commentators have noted the apparent paradox that the French voted Non because they thought the EU constitution too Anglo-Saxon and neo-liberal, while many in the UK oppose it as too statist and socialist (News, June 1). MEPs hail French No vote - Monday, 30 May 2005 East Midlands Conservative MEPs Roger Helmer and Chris Heaton Harris have today expressed their delight at the result of the key French Referendum in which the population of France voted overwhelmingly by 55% to 45% to reject the proposed EU constitution. Labour’s press release “direct from Fantasy Island” - Friday, 27 May 2005 Labour has issued a press release direct from Fantasy Island. MEP Philip Whitehead says that I intend to leave the Conservative Party and join another party. He is dead wrong. I have no such intentions. I have openly criticised other MEPs, notably Bill Turncoat-Dunn and Robert Kilroy-Silk, who have stood for election on one party ticket and then defected to another party. I will not do so myself. EU corruption cover up - Wednesday, 25 May 2005 The EU parliament closed ranks today to prevent investigation into reports of improper hospitality received by EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and to block negative publicity ahead of the French and Dutch referenda on the EU Constitution. Please don't let me elect the new Tory leader - Daily Telegraph - Thursday, 19 May 2005 The debate is hotting up over the election of the new Tory leader (letter, May 17), and various groups - the Lords, councillors, constituency chairmen - are staking claims for special status. One group the party will be hearing from is the British Conservative MEPs in Brussels, of whom I am one. EU Parliament debates "humane trapping standards" - Thursday, 19 May 2005 The European parliament is currently debating a Commission proposal for "Humane Trapping Standards", as the parliament's Hunting Intergroup (a single-issue cross-party group) met last week in Strasbourg to debate the issue MEP signs low tax pledge - Friday, 13 May 2005 East Midlands Conservative MEP Roger Helmer, a constant advocate of low taxes and tax competition was today the first MEP to sign a pledge committing him to the task of working for lower taxes within the region. MEPs welcome new press officer - Wednesday, 11 May 2005 East Midlands Conservative MEPs Chris Heaton-Harris and Roger Helmer are pleased to announce the appointment of the newest member of their constituency team, Regional Press Officer Laura Norman. Letter to the Editor - Daily Telegraph - Monday, 7 March 2005 The "benefits of EU membership" claimed by Roger Liddle (article, March 5th), of freedom, security and economic strength, cannot sustain a moment's critical analysis. Under the EU Arrest Warrant, British citizens can now be arrested on the whim of a foreign magistrate in Greece or Slovenia. The government's draconian and illiberal house-arrest proposals are a direct consequence of the European Convention on Human Rights. That's freedom? Letter to the Editor - Lincolnshire Echo - Tuesday, 1 February 2005 The government has announced the question for the referendum on the EU Constitution, and Labour politicians are rushing to re-assure us that this 400 page document is "just a tidying-up exercise". It seems that the best they can find to say about it is that it doesn't make much difference -- and when they say that, they're lying. Letter to the Editor - Derby Evening Telegraph - Monday, 31 January 2005 Labour MEP Richard Corbett (letters 22/1) crosses the line between exaggeration and downright lies when claims that the EU Constitution "does nothing more than clarify decision-making and add democratic safeguards". As everyone in Brussels knows, and proudly admits, the Constitution represents a huge new step in integration. MEPs call for Assembly abolition - Friday, 28 January 2005 The East Midlands Regional Assembly meeting will today (January 28th) hear a call for its own dissolution. The motion, proposed by Conservative MEP Roger Helmer and seconded by his colleague Chris Heaton-Harris MEP, drew attention to the overwhelming NO vote of 79% in the recent referendum on regional assemblies in the North East. Letter to the Editor - El Pais - Thursday, 27 January 2005   (English translation provided) El pasado 13 de enero, su periódico publicó en portada una foto de eurodiputados en el Parlamento de Estrasburgo protestando contra la Constitución Europea. Yo soy el eurodiputado que se encontraba en primera fila, el de la chaqueta de cuadros. Nottingham MEP to address local students - Tuesday, 25 January 2005 East Midlands MEP Roger Helmer is in Nottingham on Thursday 27th January to give a talk to a group of politics students at the University of Nottingham. Letter to the Editor - New Europe - Thursday, 20 January 2005 I was very disappointed by your coverage (Jan 16 - 21) of the Constitution vote in the Strasbourg parliament on January 12th, your dismissive take on the protests, and your total failure to mention the outrageous strong-arm tactics used against protesters. Letter to the Editor - Leicester Mercury - Wednesday, 19 January 2005 Your Wednesday article on Robert Kilroy-Silk describes him as "the perma-tanned pimpernel", as your reporters had so much trouble tracking him down. Like you, I have trouble knowing where he is -- or what party he represents. Letter to the Editor - Daily Telegraph - Tuesday 18 January 2005 Your cartoonist Garland (cartoon, Jan 18th), and even some Conservatives, seem to have swallowed Labour's "zero-sum" tax fallacy: that lower tax rates mean lower revenues and less to spend on schools'n'hospitals. This defies decades of experience in dozens of countries.