By Brian Johnson - 24th June 2004
The European Parliament’s diverse collection of eurosceptic MEPs look likely to join forces to form a new bloc in the assembly.
Final discussions appear to have secured a 31 strong political group, which will be formally announced on Tuesday.
The group, which will include both hardline eurosceptics who want to withdraw from the union, and those dubbed ‘eurocritical’ who are against complete withdrawal, will have a common platform working against the EU’s recently agreed constitution.
It will initially be led by veteran Danish MEP, Jens-Peter Bonde, and re-elected UKIP deputy, Nigel Farage.
The hardcore eurosceptics will include the UKIP, current darlings of the British media, and the Polish Catholic League of Families, who both advocate an exit from the EU.
Jens-Peter Bonde will lead the eurocritical wing which includes Philippe de Villiers’ French MPF group, the Dutch ChristenUnie-SGP group and the Swedish June list movement.
“I see us as two sides of the same coin” said Bonde, “and see no problems with this arrangement.”
“The one thing that really unites us is the constitution”, said Farage.
A new name has yet to be agreed, but Bonde’s Europe of Democracies and Diversities (EDD) is expected to be replaced.
UKIP’s celebrity MEP, the former chat show host Robert Kilroy-Silk has suggested that it should be called the “out of Europe” group.
Further discussions with eurosceptic and nationalist groups from the Czech Republic and Poland could see the group’s numbers rise to around 50 deputies.
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