UKIP Uncovered
What motivates the leaders of the United Kingdom Independence Party?


Friday, November 19, 2004 

Gerard Batten's maiden speech.

This further report on the UKIP attacks in the EU Parliament from 17th November has just been received from the UKIP London team.

Quote

Gerard Batten makes maiden speech in European Parliament
Wednesday 17th November 04

"Does this Parliament want to gag free-speech"?

Gerard Batten London MEP for the UK Independence Party today made his maiden speech in the European Parliament in response to an attack on his UKIP colleague Robert Kilroy-Silk.

During a debate on the new proposed European Commission Robert Kilroy-Silk asked Mr Barroso, President of the EU Commission, "Is this shower the best that you can do? This bunch of communists and dodgy characters, these no-marks, has-beens, never-was', and never will-be's. People like Peter Mandelson who has twice been judged unfit to be a minister in the British government, and who submitted an inaccurate mortgage application so that he could live beyond his means?"

After exactly 59 seconds the President of the Parliament raised his gavel to end Robert's speech, when Robert asked why he was kept to strict time limits when other speakers had been allowed to run over time, the President replied, "You are lucky that I did not bring my gavel down sooner as you were slandering people"..

A little later in the proceedings Robert Kilroy-Silk raised a point of order to ask, "Under what rule can the President of the Parliament judge his remarks to be slanderous when MEPs
enjoy immunity in the chamber?" The point of order was not answered but Gerard Batten supported Robert with the following contribution to the point of order.

"I wish to speak in support of my colleague Mr Kilroy-Silk. Does this Parliament want to gag free-speech? Mr Kilroy-Silk's remarks about the proposed Commission were correct, especially in regard to Mr Peter Mandelson whose name is a by-word for sleaze in the United Kingdom.

The President's remarks in accusing Mr Kilroy-Silk of slander demonstrate the anti-democratic nature of the European Union and its institutions, if indeed a further example were needed."

At this point the session was discontinued with Gerard Batten shouting, 'Free-speech, free-speech, free-speech' at the MEPs departing the chamber.

The matter will be pursued tomorrow by Robert Kilroy-Silk, supported by Gerard Batten, when he will ask under what rule the President of the Parliament can claim an MEP's remarks are slanderous and censor them?
Unquote

UKIP Uncovered will of course provide updates on the progress of the complaints which were made by Robert Kilroy-Silk in Strasbourg yesterday morning.

posted by Martin |9:31 AM
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