Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-07-07-Speech-1-216"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2008-07-07"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Formation of political groups (amendment of Rule 29) (debate)2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20080707.21.1-216"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2008-07-07-Speech-1-2172
lpv:speaker	lp:Richard Corbett2
lpv:spoken text	"Mr President, I have enjoyed this debate. I have enjoyed the wild allegations that have been made about this change, that raising the threshold for creating a group in this Parliament from 20 to 25, or perhaps 30, would somehow be the end of democracy and the end of pluralism in Parliament. What utter nonsense! This is a modest proposal. Even 30 would be well below the threshold that exists in most national parliaments, which we all find perfectly democratic. So why not here? The idea that this is an attack on existing groups is nonsense. I was glad the UEN Group spokesman recognised his group would not be affected. I was surprised that Mr Batten thought his group would be affected. I thought he was expecting to gain seats in the next European elections. I rather think they will lose seats and that they will be annihilated so that they would not even meet the existing thresholds. So they will not be affected one way or the other in any case. As for the idea that this is targeting a particular viewpoint such as Eurosceptics, as was alleged, also what nonsense! Eurosceptics have always been represented in this Parliament, well represented, have almost always had a political group and I am sure that will continue to be the case. They represent a small but significant strand of public opinion and of course they should take part in our debates. That will not be changed by this proposal. This proposal is not a radical one. It is a sensible, common-sense, practical proposal to examine what is a sensible level in an expanded Parliament to have a threshold for creating a political group. It is not a radical proposal, it does not target anybody. I am glad that many groups are seeing the sense of compromising between the two views on this matter and finding a compromise around the modest proposal of 25."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; CONT (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3 member; PES (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3 member; Delegation for relations with Japan (2007-03-14--2009-07-13)3 substitute; Delegation for relations with the countries of the Andean Community (2007-03-14--2009-07-13)3 unknown; Labour Party (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3 substitute; BUDG (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3 member; AFCO (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Richard Corbett,"1 "rapporteur"1

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