Today MEPs from across Europe elected the new European Commission for the next five years - 2014-2019. The process included the election of David Cameron’s nominee for Commissioner for Financial Services, Lord Hill. Conservative MEPs split into the for, against and abstain column. The news comes after it was confirmed that David Cameron had just this week called on Tory MEPs to vote in favour of the new Commission and Commissioner, only six were loyal to their leader.
“Downing Street is now applying pressure to get Conservative MEPs to vote in favour of the Juncker Commission” ConservativeHome, 20 October, 2014
Pat McFadden MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Europe, speaking after Conservative MEPs defied David Cameron and split three ways in voting on the European Commission, said: "Today Tory MEPs ignored David Cameron’s pleas and voted against his own choice of candidate for the UK’s Commissioner. We know that David Cameron can’t control his own backbenchers in Westminster on Europe, and now it seems he’s lost control of his MEPs too.
"It is in Britain’s interests to have the British nominated Commissioner in charge of the financial services brief, but many Conservative MEPs have just voted against this. The appointment of a new European Commission represents an important opportunity for reform in Europe which must be seized by the Prime Minister, and not squandered. But at the very time when Britain should be leading the debate on reform, the Conservatives are instead relegating themselves to the fringes in Europe, undermining both their impact and Britain’s influence as a result.”
Tory MEPs’ votes breakdown
Against
1. Nirj Deva
2. Daniel Hannan
3. Emma McClarkin
Abstained
1. David Campbell Bannerman
2. Ian Duncan
3. Vicky Ford
4. Jacqui Foster
5. Ashley Fox
6. Syed Kamall
7. Charles Tannock
8. Geoffrey Van Orden
9. Andrew Lewer
In favour
1. Richard Ashworth
2. Julie Girling
3. Sajjad Karim
4. Timothy Kirkhope
5. Anthea McIntyre
6. Kay Swinburne
