European 'Parliament' reprimands Godfrey Bloom MEP over speech

http://www.s****horpetelegraph.co.uk...ail/story.html

VIDEO: Godfrey Bloom - Yorkshire and Humber MEP - refuses to back down after reprimand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBVFpYN0iNo#t=19

Quote:

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Originally Posted by S****horpe Telegraph

Godfrey Bloom - the Yorkshire and the Humber MEP - is not backing down after being rebuked over a controversial speech he delivered to the European Parliament.

In November he said tax was "a system where politicians and bureaucrats steal money from their citizens to squander in the most disgraceful manner".

He went on to say that the Parliament was no exception and that the whole Commission and their bureaucracy avoid their taxes. He concluded by warning that "the message is getting home to the people of the European Union. You are going to find that Eurosceptics are coming back in June in ever greater numbers. And I can tell you worse: as the people get your number, it will not be long before they storm this Chamber and they hang you, and they will be right."

His remarks have now been officially considered and the President of the EU, Martin Schulz, has stated in a letter that a reprimand has been imposed on him.

It was ruled that the statement did not show due respect to the Commission and its Commissioners and it "also reflects adversely upon and thus infringes the dignity of Parliament itself".

"The principle of freedom of speech which is guaranteed for all members of the European Parliament cannot extend to insulting other speakers or publicly supporting the commitment of a crime such as murder", the letter concluded.

Mr Bloom responded to the reprimand by saying: "I don't take back a single word of my one minute speech and this official EU response just demonstrates how full of their own self-importance they really are. I shall carry on saying what I believe and will face the consequences."

The speech has been viewed millions of times on YouTube and is heading towards entry in the Guinness Book of Records.

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Good on Godders for not backing down, as he's leaving in May I hope he continues to give them hell over his final months over there. My favourite MEP. Last time I checked, the speech had millions of views and has been translated (and gone viral) in Spain, France, Greece and America.

Thoughts? Should parliaments allow controversial speech or not?

The Commission have a habit of reprimanding MEPs. The Danish have a few that were reprimanded when the borders were closed and when they were questioned they essentially told the Commission to shut up it's the country's decision and not theirs. Godfrey was a bit sensationalist in his speech which would have gone against any Parliaments policies on language, but it seems a bit much to reprimand him and say he was making death threats. No one will kill a commissioner in the chamber, they would go straight to their gated house and do it there instead - duh.