Kilroy quits UKIP group of MEPs

[red4eva]

bbc

Former TV host Robert Kilroy-Silk has withdrawn from the UK Independence Party group of Euro MPs after it discussed kicking him out.

The East Midlands MEP said he was remaining in the party but would not work with his colleagues in Strasbourg.

He argued he was helping the other UKIP MEPs out of a hole, claiming they had discovered they could not expel him over his criticisms of the leadership.

In a statement, the other MEPs said they "very much regret" his move.

Ousting move

Mr Kilroy-Silk has been vocal about his ambitions to replace current leader Roger Knapman and says UKIP should be a serious political party and not just a pressure group.

As MEPs prepared for their monthly meeting, a UKIP spokesman said the withdrawal of the whip from Mr Kilroy-Silk was "on the cards".

Mr Knapman has repeatedly urged his rival to stop his battle for the leadership, saying he would end up humiliated.



The meeting was branded a "kangaroo court" by Mr Kilroy-Silk, who said he would not be attending.

He said he had been told that MEPs' leader Nigel Farage did not have the votes for withdrawing the whip.

He also stressed that "due process" had not been followed.

Initially he said he did not care if he was ousted.

But later he told BBC News 24: "They needed to dig themselves out of a hole and I have helped them by saying these people in effect have wanted to hang me for the last week or more and now they're suddenly saying 'come and have dinner with us tonight'.

"Well, I don't think I can do that.

"I have said I will not work with the parliamentary party in Strasbourg again but of course I will continue to be a member of UKIP.

"And most importantly I will be doing what I have been doing, which is going round the country trying to put the case for Britain to govern itself and not be governed by Brussels."

He denied suggestions he wanted to set up another party.

'Sad for all'

Mr Farage said all the MEPs were sad about Mr Kilroy-Silk's decision.

"That's not a good thing for UKIP, I don't think it's a very good thing for Robert Kilroy-Silk either," he said.

But he said there was no appetite among party members at all levels for a leadership election - the thing which had frustrated Mr Kilroy-Silk.

Mr Farage said the other MEPs were united and preparing for a big general election campaign.

Conservative co-chairman Liam Fox derided the move as "yet another shambolic episode in the chequered history of UKIP".

Appointments row

Earlier, Mr Kilroy-Silk caused uproar as MEPs discussed the controversy about the proposed appointment of Rocco Buttiglione, who has voiced controversial views on gays and women, as a European commissioner.

In a point of order, he said the European Parliament should not have waited when commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, arrived late for a hearing on Tuesday.

He wants a vote of no confidence in Mr Barroso, who he argues has treated the parliament with further disdain by producing no proposals on Wednesday.

In an attempt to defuse the appointment crisis, Mr Barroso has withdrawn his proposed line-up of commissioners, saying more time was needed to find choices which would be approved by MEPs.

The European Parliament can only reject the whole commission, not vote against individual appointments.

Leftward shift?

Outgoing British Commissioner Neil Kinnock said forcing a vote and losing or winning on a slim majority would have produced a crisis.

He argued it was now best for Mr Buttiglione's name to be withdrawn, saying a reshuffle was technically and politically the most difficult option.

Labour MEPs leader Gary Titley said: "We have now reached the stage where he cannot be a candidate for the commission."

But Jonathan Evans, leader of the British Conservative MEPs, was worried those complaining about the appointment had really been pushing for a "more left-leaning commission".

Mr Barroso's decision to withdraw his planned team was praised by proposed British commissioner Peter Mandelson.

"It is better to have the right commission with the best cross-party basis of support than to have one pushed through when feelings are running high on both sides," he said.

[Rorge]

Well, they were always due for self-destruction. That many arrogant men in one place always spells disaster.

[Manic Loop]

kii heard an interview with kilroy on radio yesterday and what an arrogant **** he sounded. he didnt like it when they said he failed in taking over a political party. he said he never tried he just queried the lack of policy.

my thoughts are he wanted leadership becuase he had the highest profile, and then should power have been achieved hed walk round the commons with a microphone asking people questions and then brigning in cameras asking questions on teengae mums and suchlike, calling it the house of kilroy.