letter to the editor from Richard Corbett MEP |
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04 February 2008 |
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The Independent |
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Dear Editor, Dan Hannan's claim (news, 1 February) about draconian new powers to stifle debate in the European Parliament is just not true: the vote was to confirm that the President already has powers to end "persistent disruption", and in any case does not end debate. This is a reserve power that has only once been used – by President Pat Cox some five years ago – but is essential to protect Parliament, if necessary, from attempts to bring it to a halt. This is not about freedom of expression. The European Parliament has a very wide range of political views and speaking time in debates is shared out proportionately among all the political groups, so all views are heard in the debates. It is simply about whether Hannan and others have a right to deliberately disrupt proceedings of the House – something that no parliament tolerates. Yours, Richard Corbett Labour MEP for Yorkshire & Humber
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