Defiant Tory MEP loses party whip

A senior Tory MEP has had the whip withdrawn after defying orders on the party's first day of work with its new "anti-federalist" group.

Edward McMillan-Scott, who used to lead the Tory MEPs group, decided to stand as a vice president in Strasbourg.

But the Tories have joined a new group in the European Parliament, whose official candidate was a Polish MEP.

Mr McMillan-Scott, who opposed the Tory decision to leave the main centre-right EPP group, was successful in his bid.

He said party leader David Cameron should be pleased, rather than withdrawing the party whip.

Official nominee

Mr Cameron had long promised to remove Tory MEPs from the main European People's Party grouping, saying its federalist views were at odds with Conservative policy.

But to access EU funding they had to be part of a group in the European Parliament with a minimum of 25 MEPs from at least seven states.

The Tories formed a new grouping last month - the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECRG) - made up of 55 MEPs from eight countries.

But as members of the ECRG took their seats on Tuesday at the start of a five-year term, Mr McMillan-Scott made clear he would be standing for the vice president post - even though he was not its official nominee.

In a statement the UK Tory group said he had had the whip withdrawn at that point and it was "not expected" he could remain part of the ECRG grouping.

"He was offered the opportunity to withdraw his name to avoid harming the reputation of the Conservative Party," it said.

"Despite discussions and attempts to achieve this end, he went ahead and confirmed his nomination when voting commenced.

"At that point as he had received prior warning of the consequences and the Conservative whip was withdrawn."

But Mr McMillan-Scott, an MEP since 1984, dismissed suggestions he would return to the EPP grouping as an independent.

He said: "The public wants to see transparency and real democracy from their parliamentarians - in Brussels or Westminster.

"Standing as an independent candidate, for the values of democracy and human rights which I have worked to promote worldwide, I have made a start.

"Rather than withdrawing the whip, David Cameron should be pleased that a Tory is still at the top in Europe."

The Tories' decision to leave the main EPP group has been criticised by Labour and the Lib Dems - and some Tories.

Former Tory MEP Caroline Jackson said it was "stupid" and the party was swapping an alliance with Europe's biggest parties for "odds and sods".