Eurosceptics plumb new depths

4.00.00pm GMT Thu 31st Jan 2008

Graham Watson, Lib Dem MEP for the South West and Gibraltar has deplored comments made earlier today in a European Parliamentary session by eurosceptic MEP and Daily Telegraph writer Daniel Hannan - colleague of the West's three Conservative representatives - who has likened the European Parliament to Nazi Germany in 1933.

The incident arose as Parliament was approving a procedural measure to prevent abuse of its rules on roll call votes and points of order intended to obstruct the functioning of Parliament.

Graham Watson condemned Mr. Hannan's comments stating:

"By comparing a procedural vote today in the European Parliament with a vote in the Reichstag in 1933, UK Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan is plumbing new depths in UK-EU relations and in the Tories' approach to democracy in the EU."

"I trust that David Cameron will waste no time in dissociating himself from such an offensive remark."

And went on to say,

"Once again, the anti-Europeans have shown what a waste of time and money their presence in Parliament is."

The analogy has already been enough for the chairman of the Christian Democrat and Conservative MEP's Group to declare that he would recommend to his group that the British eurosceptic be thrown out.

Requests from the UKIP parliamentary group for a roll call vote on every vote in plenary is now costing Parliament hundreds of thousands of pounds every month in translation, production and distribution. Each roll call vote costs £400. At Parliament's January session in Strasbourg there were 185 roll call votes bringing the total cost to almost £75,000. If this were to continue, the total bill for the year would be approaching £750,000.