BRITISH Tories in the European Parliament came under attack last night when Euro-MPs from other parties accused them of trying to kill off stiff new rules governing the declaration of members' interests.
After six months of dispute, the Parliament debated a proposed framework for making information about lobbyists activities ``open and transparent'' while linking it to a second report governing outside financial help for Euro-MPs.
An attempt to settle the issue failed in January this year when the Parliament's big Christian Democrat-dominated European Peoples' Party objected to socialist-supported plans for full declaration of Euro-MPs interests. Their stand led to accusations that they had brought the European Parliament into disrepute.
As the major political groups in the assembly moved towards agreement in week-long negotiations for tough new rules, the British Conservatives suddenly produced an amendment last week which said Euro-MPs should refrain from accepting gifts, payments or benefits - but they added the rider ``which might influence the way in which they vote or the performance of their duties''.
This much-criticised proposal was introduced by Mr Bernard Donnelly, an English MEP who offered last night to withdraw it if a suitable way could be found of making its intentions effective.
British Labour Euro-MPs ridiculed this as a cop-out, with Ms Pauline Green, leader of the assembly's big socialist group, accusing the Tories and their allies on the centre-right of trying to block progress and render the new rules inoperable.
``I am appalled at the last-minute manoeuvring of the Christian Democrats after there was agreement by political group leaders last week,'' she said. She urged the Conservatives to ``fall into line'' with the rest of the Parliament.
Labour's Glyn Ford said 98% of Euro-MPs did their jobs in a fit and proper manner without the type of cash-for-questions rows which had damaged Westminster. ``We must do things properly and we must be seen to do things properly,'' he said.
French Euro-MP Jean-Thomas Nordmann called for a register of interests ``in which each member shall make a personal, detailed declaration of his/her professional activities and any other remunerated functions or activities''.
He argued that MEPs should not accept any gift or benefit in the performance of their duties. The proposed register should be updated yearly and made available to the public. At present, it is available only to researchers in Brussels, Luxembourg, and Strasbourg who are not allowed to take photocopies.
Most Euro-MPs do not give figures for their extra earnings, or gifts from lobbying interests, although they are required to name the sources.
The assembly will vote today on the proposals.
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