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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Eurosceptic MEP group collapses | Eurosceptic MEP group collapses |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| One of the main Eurosceptic groups in the European Parliament (EP), which includes Britain's UKIP, has collapsed after a Latvian MEP withdrew. | One of the main Eurosceptic groups in the European Parliament (EP), which includes Britain's UKIP, has collapsed after a Latvian MEP withdrew. |
| The Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) group had 48 members including the Five Star Movement of Italian politician Beppe Grillo. | The Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) group had 48 members including the Five Star Movement of Italian politician Beppe Grillo. |
| The EFDD accused EP President Martin Schulz of engineering Latvian MEP Iveta Grigule's exit. | The EFDD accused EP President Martin Schulz of engineering Latvian MEP Iveta Grigule's exit. |
| There was no immediate comment from Mr Schulz on the allegation. | There was no immediate comment from Mr Schulz on the allegation. |
| Group status means extra funds and more influence in legislative committees. | |
| To qualify as a group, parties must represent at least seven countries and Ms Grigule's departure reduced the EFDD to six. | To qualify as a group, parties must represent at least seven countries and Ms Grigule's departure reduced the EFDD to six. |
| 'Massive blow' | 'Massive blow' |
| Soon after the news broke, the EFDD website was still showing Ms Grigule as a member of the group. | Soon after the news broke, the EFDD website was still showing Ms Grigule as a member of the group. |
| It was not immediately clear why the Latvian Farmers' Union MEP had left. She has applied to Mr Schulz to become an independent MEP. | It was not immediately clear why the Latvian Farmers' Union MEP had left. She has applied to Mr Schulz to become an independent MEP. |
| Analysis: Chris Morris, BBC News, Brussels | |
| According to one source in the European Parliament, the EFDD group was due to get just over 4m euros in funding in 2015 - more than 80,000 euros per MEP in the group. | |
| For UKIP, with 24 MEPs, that's more than 2m euros of revenue hanging in the balance. Half of it usually goes to the communications budget - a valuable resource in an election year. | |
| If Mr Farage is no longer the leader of a group, he will also get less speaking time in the parliament, and fewer opportunities to make speeches on big set-piece occasions. | |
| UKIP alleges that the Latvian MEP who has left the group was bullied into submission by parliamentary leaders but she is so far unavailable for comment. | |
| A UKIP statement accused the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, of acting like he was running the parliament of a "banana republic". But without a formal political group, UKIP will be a less powerful voice in Brussels. | |
| UKIP's 24 members made up half of the EFDD group, followed by Five Star which had 17 MEPs. Other members included the Sweden Democrats, one French independent, and MEPs from the Czech Republic and Lithuania. | UKIP's 24 members made up half of the EFDD group, followed by Five Star which had 17 MEPs. Other members included the Sweden Democrats, one French independent, and MEPs from the Czech Republic and Lithuania. |
| Eurosceptics made major advances at the European elections in May, with the EFDD gaining an extra 17 seats. | Eurosceptics made major advances at the European elections in May, with the EFDD gaining an extra 17 seats. |
| News of the EFDD's fall was welcomed by the largest group in the parliament, the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), which tweeted: "First defeat for Eurosceptics! EFDD group disappears with departure of Latvian Iveta Grigule." | News of the EFDD's fall was welcomed by the largest group in the parliament, the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), which tweeted: "First defeat for Eurosceptics! EFDD group disappears with departure of Latvian Iveta Grigule." |
| The leader of the UK Labour Party at the European Parliament, Glenis Willmott MEP, said Nigel Farage had suffered a "massive blow". | The leader of the UK Labour Party at the European Parliament, Glenis Willmott MEP, said Nigel Farage had suffered a "massive blow". |
| Mr Farage has predicted UKIP could hold the balance of power in the UK following the general election next year after his party gained its first elected MP last month and narrowly failed to take a seat from Labour at a by-election. | Mr Farage has predicted UKIP could hold the balance of power in the UK following the general election next year after his party gained its first elected MP last month and narrowly failed to take a seat from Labour at a by-election. |
| Why being in a group is better |