press release from the office of Richard Corbett MEP

19 October 2004

Labour MEPs challenge UKIP to "come clean"

Labour Euro-MPs have reacted with shock to the latest attempts by the UK Independence Party to  dismiss the controversy surrounding their MEP Godfrey Bloom.

Mr Bloom stands accused of sexual harrassment in a letter sent to the President of the European Parliament by Rebecca Bowtell, one of the Cambridge students who visited Parliament last month.

A joint statement issued today by Richard Howitt MEP, who represents Cambridgeshire, and Richard Corbett MEP, Bloom's opposite number in Yorkshire, reads:

"UKIP's response to the allegations appears to be something of a smokescreen. They claim to have the support of members of the Cambridge University women's rugby team, yet Mr Bloom is the team's main sponsor, so there is clearly something not quite right here.

"UKIP also claims that Ms Bowtell was wrong to say that the trip was sponsored by the European Parliament. But Parliament did sponsor the visit as an official visitors' group. What are they trying to hide?

"We urge the party to come clean on what really happened - and to suspend Mr Bloom while Parliament launches a full investigation into these disturbing allegations."

Notes for editors

Ms Bowtell's complaint was sent to Josep Borrell, President of the European Parliament, and copied to both the UKIP leadership and the leader of the 'Independence and Democracy' political grouping within the Parliament.

UKIP's response is available here: http://www.ukip.org/abc_news/gen12.php?t=1&id=1046

More information

Contact Toby Wardman, Press & Communications Officer for Richard Corbett MEP (phone 0113 245 8987, e-mail toby@richardcorbett.org.uk)

Or Richard Margrave, Press Officer for Richard Howitt MEP (phone 01277 214219, mobile 07789 692360, e-mail richard@margrave.co.uk)