By Martin Banks - 22nd June 2009
We are very excited about this important new development
Tim Kirkhope
The British Conservatives say they have formed a new 55-strong "anti-federalist" political group in parliament.
A fortnight after the European elections returned 26 Tory MEPs, David Cameron has fulfilled his controversial pledge to form a new bloc large enough to qualify for full recognition.
After the EPP, PES and ALDE, the group, called European Conservatives and Reformists, is likely to be the fourth largest bloc in the new assembly, which meets for the first time in Strasbourg next month.
The UK Tory faction will be its biggest single national element but it also includes Poland's opposition Law and Justice party, the second largest number of MEPs with 15 members, and the Czech Republic Civic Democratic party (ODS), which has nine MEPs.
It will also comprise one member from Belgium's Lijst Dedecker, the Centre party (Keskusta) in Finland, the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) and Latvia's For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK party.
Tim Kirkhope, who leads the Tory delegation in the EU parliament, said, "We are very excited about this important new development.
"Our group will make a strong case for a centre-right but non-federalist future for the EU. We already have participants from eight countries but talks are still ongoing and we believe more will be attracted to join our ranks."
A Tory spokesman said, "Negotiations are still continuing and it is hoped that other parties and MEPs will be attracted to the group by the time the new parliament convenes next month."
Senior ALDE MEP Andrew Duff said, "It is indeed strange for British Conservatives to find themselves trapped in a bizarre cabal of ultra Catholics from Poland and ultra Calvinists from the Netherlands.
"It is certainly not in the British interest for the Tories to be moving from the political mainstream to the political margins.
"I query the credo of this new group and look forward with interest to seeing the common political programme that they will now have to put together."
UK Labour delegation leader Glenis Willmott said, "Once again the Tories have put dogma before national interest. This is a party not fit to govern.
"Just when the global economic crisis has shown the need for effective cooperation with our partners, [Tory leader] David Cameron is showing himself to be an isolationist.
"Pulling Tory MEPs out of the EPP shows a complete lack of leadership. He is clearly pandering to the Eurosceptic lunatic fringe of his own party.
"Tory MEPs and the wider Conservative party will have no influence and no say in European politics.
"They are set to lose all their important posts, including vice president of parliament and committee chairs. This cannot be good for the people of Britain, who they claim to represent in Europe.
"Tories in parliament will now sit in splendid isolation with controversial allies that are a far cry from the mainstream parties Cameron is leaving behind.
"David Cameron will have to explain why his MEPs could sit with racists, fascists and climate change deniers."
Criticism has been levelled at the Conservatives due to the views of some members of the parties belonging to the new grouping, who were last week branded "unsavoury allies" by David Miliband, the UK foreign secretary.
The new Tory group is bound by a declaration of 10 principles based on "Euro realism" and the sovereignty of nations.
Miliband claimed, "The Conservatives under David Cameron's leadership have dragged themselves from Euroscepticism to Euro-extremism.
"By removing the Conservatives from other mainstream centre-right parties in Europe, David Cameron has isolated his party and potentially this country when we need influence to deliver on the issues that matter for Britain today."
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