European Parliamentary Labour Party: : Euro Tories split over Lisbon Treaty

Euro Tories split over Lisbon Treaty

20 February 2008, 10:47am

The European Parliament today approved the Lisbon Treaty with an overwhelming majority of 525 to 115. All governing parties from across the European Union and all main opposition parties from every member state apart from the UK Conservatives backed the new Treaty.

British Euro Tories staged yet another protest calling for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty outside the chamber of the European Parliament. However not all their MEPs attended. Even more interestingly, not all British Tory MEPs voted against the Lisbon Treaty.

European Parliament voting records show that Tory MEPs Christopher Beazley and Sajjad Karim actually voted in favour of the Lisbon Treaty. Caroline Jackson MEP abstained and Syed Kamall MEP did not even bother to vote against the Lisbon Treaty.

Richard Corbett MEP, who drafted the EP report on the Lisbon Treaty, said: "I am glad that at least two Tory MEPs had the courage to vote in a way many more of them believe in. I am looking forward to the same happening at the final vote on the Lisbon Treaty in the House of Commons and House of Lords."

For more information please call the European Parliamentary Labour Party press officer, Silke Thomson on +32 479 790 053.


Home Labour MEPs EPLP Spokespeople Michael Cashman MEP Richard Corbett MEP Robert Evans MEP Glyn Ford MEP Neena Gill MEP Mary Honeyball MEP Richard Howitt MEP Stephen Hughes MEP Glenys Kinnock MEP David Martin MEP Linda McAvan MEP Arlene McCarthy MEP Claude Moraes MEP Eluned Morgan MEP Brian Simpson MEP Peter Skinner MEP Catherine Stihler MEP Gary Titley MEP Glenis Willmott MEP What does an MEP do? Current Issues Myths & Lies Publications News Subscribe Get the latest news by email Get news via an RSS feed » More info		Printer friendly version Euro Tories split over Lisbon Treaty 20 February 2008, 10:47am The European Parliament today approved the Lisbon Treaty with an overwhelming majority of 525 to 115. All governing parties from across the European Union and all main opposition parties from every member state apart from the UK Conservatives backed the new Treaty. British Euro Tories staged yet another protest calling for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty outside the chamber of the European Parliament. However not all their MEPs attended. Even more interestingly, not all British Tory MEPs voted against the Lisbon Treaty. European Parliament voting records show that Tory MEPs Christopher Beazley and Sajjad Karim actually voted in favour of the Lisbon Treaty. Caroline Jackson MEP abstained and Syed Kamall MEP did not even bother to vote against the Lisbon Treaty. Richard Corbett MEP, who drafted the EP report on the Lisbon Treaty, said: "I am glad that at least two Tory MEPs had the courage to vote in a way many more of them believe in. I am looking forward to the same happening at the final vote on the Lisbon Treaty in the House of Commons and House of Lords." For more information please call the European Parliamentary Labour Party press officer, Silke Thomson on +32 479 790 053.