Local Euro MP: Tories decision on European Parliament grouping is bad news for the people of Yorkshire and the Humber

9.48.14am GMT Thu 12th Mar 2009

Reacting to the formal decision by British Conservative MEPs to leave the centre-right grouping in the European Parliament, the local Liberal Democrat Euro MP, Diana Wallis, has said:

"This takes the Conservatives down a blind alley towards isolation. This will be bad news for the people of Yorkshire and the Humber as Conservative MEPs in the region will be fringe players in the future European Parliament, unable to speak up with any strength of voice, something they currently enjoy as part of the biggest political group in the European Parliament.

"It is not clear that they will even have enough colleagues on the lunatic fringe from other countries to form a political group in the Parliament after June's elections. Their influence will be negligible in standing up for the people of Yorkshire & the Humber.

"By contrast my own group, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, which includes the UK Liberal Democrats goes from strength to strength. For instance, it was recently announced that MEPs from the governing party in Ireland, Fianna Fail, will sitting with the Liberal and Democrat group in the European Parliament in the future."

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Next news story: Award to local Liberal Democrat for 60 years service (Wed 18th Mar 2009).

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