TIMES ONLINE: The British National Party's two MEPs took their seats in the 736 member European Parliament this morning just one row behind David Cameron's new Conservative group.
Nick Griffin, the BNP leader, and his party colleague Andrew Brons were allocated seats 780 and 781 and immediately ran into controversy when Democratic Unionist Party MEP Diane Dodds refused to sit in seat 782 next to them.
After both took part in the election of a new parliamentary President, Mr Griffin showed his unerring ability to generate controversy by hitting back at Baroness Kinnock, the Europe Minister, for refusing to invite the pair to a reception for new MEPs tomorrow.
"I would not want to share a drink with Glenys Kinnock," said Mr Griffin, speaking to The Times outside the chamber.
"She is a political prostitute, simple as that. She and her husband started off their careers as anti-common market and now they are there not just with their noses in the trough, they are in the trough."
Mr Griffin further alleged that civil servants were being told to treat the BNP MEPs differently by denying them access to some information.
"We will test this by applying for information and see what comes back, and take it to court if necessary," he said.
Mr Brons said that they did not plan to boycott the European Parliament, where they sit on the right hand side of the chamber behind Polish members of the European Conservatives and Reformists.
The BNP failed to find enough like-minded MEPs from across Europe to form an official group, which would have brought extra funding and staff, but said they would work informally with neo-fascist parties including Jean-Marie Le Pen's Front National in France and Jobbik, the Hungarian nationalists with their own militia. >>> David Charter, Strasbourg | Tuesday, July 14, 2009
