New Group in Parliament Confident of Expansion

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The new anti-federalist group in the European Parliament says it will continue to attract new members even after it officially declares its membership tomorrow. The new European Conservatives and Reformist Group, which will be dominated by the British Conservatives, who, in accordance of the plans of leader David Cameron and his tough-talking foreign spokesman William Hague, have finally broken away from the centre-right EPP, have come under much press criticism for not only marginalising themselves with Parliament, but also “getting into bed” with a collection of dubious political allies, such as the Czech ODS party and Law and Justice form Poland.

Despite this, insiders say that the group is still confident of attracting even more members after it officially unveils itself on Wednesday.
In order for a group to be formed, it needs a minimum of twenty-five members from seven different countries.
This morning, the new group had fifty-five members from eight members states. This evening, it emerged that one more member (from Lithuania) had joined, bringing the total to fifty-six and nine. Rumours in Parliament are that they could reach sixty.
This could be a serious blow to the other eurosceptic group, Independence and Democracy (IN/DEM), hoping to swell their numbers under the leadership of an invigorated Nigel Farage, whose United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) pushed the ruling Labour Party into second place behind the Conservatives in the European elections.
As it currently stands, according to staff (no official announcements have been made) the group has the numbers – just. This means that any split in the group would damage it permanently. Farage wants a margin of error, but with the Reformists quicker out of the traps, they may be better placed to attract the undecided, leaving the UKIP leader in a very precarious position.
Interestingly, it seems that the new group, who will be undoubtedly marginalised in European terms, are pinning their hopes of media visibility on an internecine war between these two factions; both; after all will be chaired by British members, which is good for local press and TV.
This might spell doom for the Conservatives current leader in Europe, Timothy Kirkhope, who is seen by many MEPs as being too ineffectual to stand up to the witty and charismatic Farage.
With the task of filling all group positions (including back room staff) likely to take until the next Strasbourg session in July, something of a battle is anticipated, with Geofrey Van Orden emerging as something of a front runner to upend Kirkhope, although the group's natural leader, Syed Kamall has yet to declare his intentions.
Exactly how much of an opposition the new group could be remains to be seen. EPP chairman, Joseph Daul has already indicated that the “old groups” (EPP, Socialists and Liberals) will club together to combat any right-wing threat, but others are not so sure. One staff member pointed to the fact that the injured Socialist group, fearing being “an arm” of the EPP, as Daul seemed to indicate, may go for broke and become a little more independent.
So far, all cards are being kept close to the chest; there is still no definite policy, for example, on the appointment of a a Commission or Parliament President (and the Greens may find themselves with an unexpected ally), but whatever they chose to do over the next couple of weeks, the European Conservatives and Reformist Group is, for the time being at least, in a buoyant position.