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| Summons for Van Rompuy tirade MEP | Summons for Van Rompuy tirade MEP |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The head of the European parliament has summoned British Eurosceptic MEP Nigel Farage over his tirade against European Council President Herman van Rompuy. | The head of the European parliament has summoned British Eurosceptic MEP Nigel Farage over his tirade against European Council President Herman van Rompuy. |
| Parliament President Jerzy Buzek is expected to reprimand Mr Farage at the meeting on Tuesday. | Parliament President Jerzy Buzek is expected to reprimand Mr Farage at the meeting on Tuesday. |
| The former UK Independence Party (UKIP) MEP leader could face a suspension. | |
| Mr Farage drew jeers on Wednesday when he told the chamber Mr Van Rompuy had "the charisma of a damp rag" and the appearance of a "low-grade bank clerk". | Mr Farage drew jeers on Wednesday when he told the chamber Mr Van Rompuy had "the charisma of a damp rag" and the appearance of a "low-grade bank clerk". |
| The attack came as Mr Van Rompuy, a former Belgian prime minister, made his maiden appearance in parliament in Brussels. | The attack came as Mr Van Rompuy, a former Belgian prime minister, made his maiden appearance in parliament in Brussels. |
| Mr Buzek is said to consider Mr Farage's outburst to have been "completely undignified", believing it "crossed a line" between the right to free speech and being plain insulting. | Mr Buzek is said to consider Mr Farage's outburst to have been "completely undignified", believing it "crossed a line" between the right to free speech and being plain insulting. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| Mr Farage's party, UKIP, campaigns for the withdrawal of Britain from the European Union. It has 13 representatives in the European parliament. | Mr Farage's party, UKIP, campaigns for the withdrawal of Britain from the European Union. It has 13 representatives in the European parliament. |
| Possible penalties against Mr Farage range from a verbal reprimand to a 10-day suspension from parliament. | Possible penalties against Mr Farage range from a verbal reprimand to a 10-day suspension from parliament. |
| Mr Farage opened his attack against Mr Van Rompuy by saying "I don't want to be rude" - before launching into a personal attack lasting several minutes. | Mr Farage opened his attack against Mr Van Rompuy by saying "I don't want to be rude" - before launching into a personal attack lasting several minutes. |
| "Who are you? I'd never heard of you, nobody in Europe had ever heard of you," Mr Farage said. | "Who are you? I'd never heard of you, nobody in Europe had ever heard of you," Mr Farage said. |
| "You seem to have a loathing for the very concept of the existence of nation states," he continued, adding: "Perhaps that's because you come from Belgium, which is pretty much a non-country." | "You seem to have a loathing for the very concept of the existence of nation states," he continued, adding: "Perhaps that's because you come from Belgium, which is pretty much a non-country." |
| Mr Farage, known for his outspoken interventions, did admit that he thought Mr Van Rompuy was "competent and capable", adding that this made him "dangerous". | Mr Farage, known for his outspoken interventions, did admit that he thought Mr Van Rompuy was "competent and capable", adding that this made him "dangerous". |
| "I have no doubt that your intention is to be the quiet assassin of European democracy and of European nation states," he said. | "I have no doubt that your intention is to be the quiet assassin of European democracy and of European nation states," he said. |
| Mr Van Rompuy, 62, was chosen unanimously by the governments of the EU's 27 member states to take on the role of the first permanent European Council president. | Mr Van Rompuy, 62, was chosen unanimously by the governments of the EU's 27 member states to take on the role of the first permanent European Council president. |
| Mr Van Rompuy said he held Mr Farage's comments "in contempt", without elaborating. | Mr Van Rompuy said he held Mr Farage's comments "in contempt", without elaborating. |