Roger Helmer MEP seems to be threatening the leader of the Tory MEPs, Tim Kirkhope, with legal action if he doesn't withdraw accusations he has made against Helmer. He's just issued this personal statement...
I should like to thank all those concerned Party members who have written to Timothy Kirkhope MEP to protest against my continued suspension from the Conservative whip. Some have received replies, and I am concerned that letters from the Chief Whip, at Kirkhope's instigation, are saying that the whip was suspended not for political reasons, but because of my unspecified "behaviour". This is false and potentially defamatory. One prominent East Midlands Conservative recently asked me (joking, I hope!) whether I had had my hand in the till. As Kirkhope's letter has been widely circulated, I have little option but to issue a rebuttal.
The reasons why the whip was suspended, and why the suspension has been maintained for an extraordinary and unjustifiable period, are entirely political. Kirkhope has been upset by a number of issues, including:
1 My insistence on raising the apparent impropriety of President Barroso's Greek holiday -- but as Kirkhope knows we have a manifesto commitment to oppose fraud and maladministration in the EU institutions
2 My robust campaign against the Tory MEPs' link to the ultra-federalist EPP -- despite the fact that EPP withdrawal is now Party policy
3 More recently, my backing for the Better Off Out campaign -- although a number of other Conservative parliamentarians have backed it without censure or sanctions.
Kirkhope's unsubstantiated allegations of "misbehaviour" are demeaning to him, defamatory to me and damaging to the Party. He must now come out into the open and tell us what he means.
I support Helmer's case. He has been treated disgracefully and there are so many inconsistencies between the way he has been treated and the kid-gloves approach the Party endorses to the Europhile MEPs.
14 comments:
Absolutely agree with all of this. Roger Helmer lost the whip for doing exactly what I as a Party member want him to do.
www.reinstateroger.com
If Cameron would get a bloody move on about the EPP, that would resolve the situation to a large degree.
Kirkhope's a lousy loser, and an nasty shit when he's in the driving seat. MInd you, what else do we expect from EU politics?
The message from Bromley to Cameron couldn't be clearer. Stop taking Conservative voters for granted - or they won't vote for you.
Here's your chance David Cameron to show that you are listening.
If you don't listen to Conservative Party members and voters, your leadership will become vulnerable.
Cameron has the right approach to leadership and maybe only needs to make a few adjustments to his team. If he is only a PR phenomenon with no ability to make decisions, we are tragically wasting our time with him.
Roger made the fatal mistake of criticising one of the Brussels' Elite. In the fascist EU that is tantamount to treason, criticism is not taken lightly.
Roger's case is just one of the countless number of reasons why the United Kingdom would be BETTER OFF OUT of the EU.
Legal action on a subject like this is going to be expensive for the loser due to the doubling-up rule on libel costs (if the plaintiff uses no win no fee). (Another piece of disgraceful legal tomfoolery brought in by Labour.)
Stress levels will be going through the roof in both camps I wager. Do they know what they are letting themselves in for potentially.
Finally, is this the behaviour of a party headed for government?
Better Off Out. Couldn't agree more. Austin Mitchell has recently become the first Labour MP to endorse the Better Off Out campaign.
Maybe Murdoch has put his arm on Cameron's shoulder about the EPP...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1810266,00.html
This is a complete disgrace. This man has been treated appalling. Why doesn't someone in the party GET A BLOODY GRIP snd sort this out. I am embarrassed to be associated with a party that behaves so badly. Sort it out now Cameron.
Valerie - If you fail to be hit between the eyes by the reality that the EU is a fascist state - or, if you object to the word "state", given that it is not yet one, "ruling junta" will do - you have been comatose for the last 20 years.
Or complicit.
The reason Roger has been forced to issue this, is because Timothy Kirkhope is telling people that he is seeking to resolve the issue with Roger, when in fact he has made no contact with him. Kirkhope is in the wrong and he knows it so what better way to try and dig himself out of a hole, than to spread false innuendos about one of our most principled parlimentians.
A Fascist EU?
The EU is operates within a socially democratic framework and is intended to reflect wider business intrests and foster wider educational social welfare for all peoples of Europe.
Conservative members are humiliated and deprived of power and slavish adulation.herefore you resort to excessive extremism in your campaign of hate for this EU.
It is not a Dictatorship, a dictatorship is power for power sake and the destruction of the workers. Trust me, |I know what I'm on about. I practice it every day.
Doom.
Unusually for me, I know, but I posted a snide comment about Roger Helmer and his stilton cheese campaign. Instead of doing what I would do and ripping a new arsehole for an abusive get, he wrote a really nice private e-mail explaining the campaign. So, I hardly agree with any of his political views, but he's a top man!
I wish Helmer would stop all this moaning and playing for sympathy. It would be much better if he concentrated on doing the job of MEP rather than knocking chunks out of fellow Conservatives. It's quite pitiful that he's resorted to placing the reinstateroger link on the front page of his website.
Lets remind ourselves that Helmer lost the whip because he refused to do what he was told to do by his boss Tim Kirkhope i.e. remove his name from the condemning motion.
Helmer complains alot about Europeans on the gravy train. I notice though that he takes EU money to spend on his self-publicity leaflets. There are also alot more important matters facing the East Midlands and Europe than 'Saving Stilton Cheese'.
My point is that Helmer is right in his message about the EU. He's just the wrong man to be delivering it.
"Lets remind ourselves that Helmer lost the whip because he refused to do what he was told to do by his boss Tim Kirkhope i.e. remove his name from the condemning motion."
What nonsense, Don Tully. Let's remind ourselves that the Tories were elected to the EU Parliament on a platform that included opposition to corruption and gravy-training. Helmer was doing absolutely the right thing in sticking by that promise, even in the face of Kirkhope inexplicably trying to stop him criticising allegedly dodgy dealings. Are you happy that Kirkhope tried to silence that criticism of the Commission?
Also, what is wrong with him defending Stilton Cheese, an industry that employs some of his constituents?
Helmer has only himself to blame for not being a team player. His predicament arises because he thinks he is bigger than the Conservative Group and its leader. Kirkhope was quite justified in the action he took.
Incidentally, Helmer is an utter fool if he is going to sue - he will be hung out to dry!
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