From the UKIP website … 

The President of the European Parliament has moved to crush all opposition to the Lisbon Treaty by Eurosceptic MEPs.

Hans-Gert Pottering wants to throw away the rule book to allow him absolute power in refusing to allow points of order, procedural motions and votes by roll call if he thinks they could either disrupt the Parliament or infringe the rights of other members.

Last week a group of more than 60 MEPS from all over Europe tried to demonstrate against refusals to hold referendums on the treaty.
 
The group, including MEPS from the UK Independence Party and the Tories, had protest banners forcibly removed from the chamber and their calls for points of order ignored.
 
Now Mr Pottering has asked the Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee to give him the power to stifle all protest moves.
 
The leader of the Independence and Democracy group, UKIP’s Nigel Farage, said this was “a frightening and scandalous attempt to steamroller any dissent in the Parliament.
 
“Parliament is effectively muzzled. Mr Pottering almost becomes a dictator. If this goes through, then the only power the Parliament really has – which is to censure the Commission itself – would be ruled out of order.
 
“This is another telling insight into the way this new state of Europe regards democratic protest by elected members representing millions of people across Europe.”

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