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| UKIP's alliance in Europe rescued by Polish MEP | UKIP's alliance in Europe rescued by Polish MEP |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The UK Independence Party says a Polish MEP has joined its Eurosceptic grouping in the European Parliament, paving the way for significant EU funding and committee posts. | The UK Independence Party says a Polish MEP has joined its Eurosceptic grouping in the European Parliament, paving the way for significant EU funding and committee posts. |
| The EFDD group was thrown into disarray last week after a Latvian MEP left. | The EFDD group was thrown into disarray last week after a Latvian MEP left. |
| Now it is "back with a bang", UKIP announced, welcoming Polish MEP Robert Iwaszkiewicz to its ranks. | Now it is "back with a bang", UKIP announced, welcoming Polish MEP Robert Iwaszkiewicz to its ranks. |
| European Parliament rules say party blocs have to have at least 25 MEPs from seven different countries. | European Parliament rules say party blocs have to have at least 25 MEPs from seven different countries. |
| The EFDD (Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy) says Mr Iwaszkiewicz has been officially registered as a member of the group, restoring the EFDD's status. | The EFDD (Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy) says Mr Iwaszkiewicz has been officially registered as a member of the group, restoring the EFDD's status. |
| The EFDD has 48 members - half of them UKIP politicians - in the 751-seat parliament. In total, Eurosceptics account for about one-third of MEPs. | |
| "We will now make the EU's centralising fanatics regret their short-lived bout of hubris," UKIP leader Nigel Farage said in a statement. He blamed European Parliament President Martin Schulz for the departure last week of Latvian MEP Iveta Grigule. | |
| He accused Mr Schulz, a German Socialist, of "manipulative backroom politics of the worst kind". | |
| "EU Federalists will be sitting in a corner somewhere slowly rocking, muttering the words 'please make the Eurosceptics go away' over and over," Mr Farage said. | |
| Last week Mr Schulz denied any wrongdoing in connection with Ms Grigule's decision to leave the EFDD. | |
| Mr Iwaszkiewicz said he joined EFDD "because of two important values - opposition to EU bureaucracy and support for free markets". |