by Keith Richmond
RICHARD CORBETT, the Labour MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, has hit out at Syed Kamall after the Tory MEP for London backed “the right” of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the French fascist and convicted Holocaust denier, to open the first session of the European Parliament after the Euro elections in June.
Mr Corbett, who is the rapporteur responsible for revising the Parliament’s internal rules, said he is pressing ahead with proposals to prevent Le Pen, the 80-year-old leader of the far-right Front National – and who, if re-elected, would be the oldest MEP sitting in the European Parliament – from opening its proceedings.
Mr Corbett said: “Syed Kamall’s comments show that Conservative leader David Cameron may have tried to detoxify the Tory brand, but the product is still nasty”.
He added: “The text of a revision to the rules is ready and will be voted on in May.
There is cross-party support, ironically including from Syed Kamall’s own group, for these proposals, which will mean that Parliament will be opened by the outgoing President rather than the oldest member.
“Only last month Le Pen abused his position as an MEP to repeat disgusting statements – statements that saw him convicted for Holocaust denial – that the gas chambers were a mere detail of history.
“The opening of Parliament is a purely ceremonial occasion, not a free platform for a convicted Holocaust denier to make more outrageous and offensive statements.”
