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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Conservative MEPs form new group | Conservative MEPs form new group |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The UK's Conservative MEPs have formed a new "anti-federalist" European Parliament bloc. | The UK's Conservative MEPs have formed a new "anti-federalist" European Parliament bloc. |
| The new European Conservatives and Reformists Group includes 55 MEPs from across eight member states. | The new European Conservatives and Reformists Group includes 55 MEPs from across eight member states. |
| Leader David Cameron had vowed to take his MEPs out the centre-right European People's Party, saying its federalist views were against Tory policy. | Leader David Cameron had vowed to take his MEPs out the centre-right European People's Party, saying its federalist views were against Tory policy. |
| Shadow Europe Minister Mark Francois said the move was an "important new development in European politics". | |
| Biggest party | |
| Mr Francois promised the new group would "make a strong case for a centre/centre-right but non-federalist future for the EU". | |
| He said talks were continuing with other parties and he hoped more would join. | |
| The Tories will be the biggest party in the new group with 26 MEPs, including Northern Ireland's Jim Nicholson of United Conservatives and Unionists - New Force. | |
| Others who have signed up include 15 MEPs from the Poland's Law and Justice Party (PiS), nine from the Czech Civic Democratic Party (ODS), and one each from the Dutch ChristenUnie, Latvian National Independence Movement (TB/LNNK), Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) and Belgian Lijst Dedecker (LDD). | |
| One member Finland's Centre Party will also join the group, although the remainder of the party's MEPs will remain in the liberal ALDE bloc. | |
| Mr Cameron pledged to cut the Conservatives' ties with the EPP grouping during his 2005 Conservative leadership campaign. | |
| He has insisted the new grouping would "work closely with the EPP on all sorts areas where we agree", adding: "We will be happy neighbours rather than unhappy tenants." | |
| But former Conservative MEP Caroline Jackson, who stood down at the 4 June elections, said he was swapping Europe's biggest parties for "odds and sods". | |
| European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has said he "regrets" the Tories decision to leave the EPP. |