Suspended MEPs are reinstated
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Four suspended Labour MEPs were reinstated last night after the party leadership backed away from confrontation over an internal gagging order. Katherine Butler, in Brussels, suspects the truce may not last.
It was a case of Old Labour and New Labour desperately papering over the cracks last night as the party's 62 MEPs agreed a "memorandum of understanding" clarifying the meaning of a code of practice which led to disciplinary action against four rebels.
The four - Ken Coates, Hugh Kerr, Michael Hindley and Alex Falconer - all facing suspensions of up to a year, emerged from a tense two-hour meeting of the European Parliamentary Labour Party claiming "common sense had broken out". Wayne David, the party's European leader, also emerged to declare his "extreme" pleasure at the decision to bury the hatchet.
Mr David said all sides were now agreed on the meaning of the code which started the row. It bans open criticism of government policy, but also contains a specific obligation on MEPs to support proportional representation and the party selection procedures which could see many sitting members de-selected before the next European elections in 1999.
The code was never intended as a gagging order and its provisions had been misinterpreted, Mr David said. MEPs were entitled to the freedom to state their views but had to accept "certain obligations". It was now "abundantly clear" he said that the rebels could speak openly about the merits of different electoral systems but would have to accept that "full discussion will take place within the Labour Party as to how Labour candidates should be selected by the party".
But there were clear signs that hostilities could break out again. Outside the meeting room the interpretation placed on the outcome by the "Strasbourg Four" was sounding different from that outlined by Mr David. "We feel tonight is a victory for free speech" said Mr Coates, MEP for Nottingham North and Chesterfield. "I am very happy that the gag has gone. We are free to speak out on proportional representation and I shall do exactly that."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments