Tories stay in ‘marriage of convenience’ with EPP

Date: 12/02/04

THE leader of the biggest party in the European Parliament, the European People's Party (EPP-ED) has struck a deal with the British Conservatives, allowing them to develop their own distinct views on Europe without leaving the group.

The agreement was thrashed out by Hans-Gert Pöttering during weeks of talks with UK Tory chief Michael Howard and MEP Jonathan Evans, leader of Britain's 36 Conservative MEPs.

However, Pöttering must convince his EPP colleague to accept the deal. Sources say he faced a rebellion this week from mainly French, Belgian and Italian members, who claimed he caved in to Tory pressure.

Some Tories favoured forming a breakaway Eurosceptic group after June's elections. The Czech Republic's biggest force, the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and Portugal's Partido Popular were among those interested in joining it.

At least ten MEPs oppose remaining beneath the EPP umbrella and expect their ranks to be swollen by Tory Eurosceptic candidates in June. Most, though, want to stay within the EPP, and wrote to Howard to say that this was in the best interests of the party.

Howard believes the Conservatives will carry more clout if they remain part of the largest group in the Parliament.

Evans described the deal as a "significant breakthrough" and added: "We have secured the right formally to promote and develop our own vision of Europe from within the EPP-ED and to have that respected and recognized by the group as a whole.

"New centre-right parties will have a choice in the Parliament - to sit with the European Democrats section of the EPP-ED group, which has its own distinct views on Europe's future, or to sit with the main body of the EPP. This is particularly important for countries from east and central Europe joining the Parliament in June."

Howard said: "We oppose plans for deeper integration as set out in the draft constitution. We are now free to promote these views within the EPP-ED group."

Gary Titley, leader of the UK Socialist group, described the Tories' decision as "shallow and cynical".

"This is a clear sign that the Tories can find no allies in Europe and so are being forced to live out the lie they have something in common with the centre-right federalists. It will not, though, cover up the fact that this is nothing but a loveless marriage of convenience."

The EPP-Tory alliance was described by federalist UK Liberal MEP Andrew Duff, meanwhile, as "a cabal without principles".