Latest News

Latest

Worrying gaps in minister's immigration plan
Use TFL surplus to fund wi-fi on tube
Treatment of Greece is diplomacy at gunpoint
Don't trust the gimmick kings
Cameron shows true colours in Brussels
PM blustering on ECHR to no avail
No improvement in EU accounts over 10 years
Clark backs Fair Fuel fight
UKIP London Assembly team launch

Nigel blasts EC president as 'damp rag'

Wednesday, 24th February 2010

UKIP MEP Leader Nigel Farage caused uproar in the European Parliament today when he told the new European Council President that he had the "charisma of a damp rag".

He compared the former Belgian prime minister to a "low-grade bank clerk" and said he came from a "non-country".

The attack, which stunned the chamber, came as Mr Van Rompuy made his maiden appearance in parliament in Brussels.

"I don't want to be rude," Mr Farage began, before launching into a personal attack lasting several minutes.

"Who are you? I'd never heard of you, nobody in Europe had ever heard of you," Mr Farage thundered, as noisy disapproval at his intervention in the chamber rose.

See the video below to see why Van Rompuy was so upset.