Two rebel Labour Euro-MPs have denied quitting the Socialist Group in the European Parliament.

Ken Coates and Hugh Kerr have denied joining the Green Group - which would mean automatically losing membership of the European Parliamentary Labour Party - but the President of the European Parliament, José Maria Gil-Robles, insisted they had.

Hugh Kerr has been a Euro-MP since 1994

Labour sources said pressure would now build on the Euro-MPs to "do the honourable thing" and resign from the Labour Party.

Deep misgivings

Mr Coates, who represents North Nottinghamshire and Chesterfield, and Mr Kerr, the Euro-MP for West Essex and East Herts, have admitted to having deep misgivings about the direction the Labour Government is taking.

The pair put their names to an article in The Observer in which they criticised Tony Blair's government and especially its policy on benefit cuts for single mothers and the disabled.

But Mr Kerr told the BBC: "It's wrong to say we have left the Labour Party or the Socialist Group. That is all up for debate next week in Brussels."

He denied the "honourable thing" would be to resign and added: "We believe we represent the overwhelming views of Labour supporters on the ground and we have been getting enormous support."

Mr Kerr said: "We have been in the Labour Party far longer than Mr Blair and we have every intention of staying there and if he wants to get rid of us maybe he should come back from his holiday in the Seychelles and deal with it himself."

"Anti-poor" attitude

He accused New Labour of having developed an "anti-poor" attitude and claimed Mr Blair had lost support within the party and would probably lose a leadership contest to Robin Cook or John Prescott if one was held now.

Tony Blair...challenged by rebel Euro MPs

Mr Kerr confirmed he and Mr Coates were considering fighting the European elections in 1999 as Independent Labour candidates.

Labour Party sources said the pair had written separately to Mr Gil-Robles, resigning from the Parliament's Socialist Group and joining the Green Group with immediate effect.

Mr Coates has been summoned by his local party to explain himself amid warnings of disciplinary action.

The constituency party issued a statement saying confidence in him had "evaporated" after he wrote to constituents saying that he was "heartily ashamed" of New Labour's "agenda of cuts in the welfare state, penalties for poor people, and gross maldistribution of wealth throughout society".

Ken Coates has been a Euro-MP since 1989

A Labour spokesman said: "Frankly we will be glad to see the back of them. Their recent behaviour has done no good for the Labour Party.

Political wilderness

"Now they have consigned themselves to the political wilderness. To seek martyrdom by refusing to resign from the Labour Party will do them no good, as there will be no sympathy for them in their constituencies or anywhere else."

Ken Coates, on the confusion surrounding his party allegiance at Strasbourg (0' 11")

Mr Coates, 67, said he had received "overwhelmingly" support of his stance from his constituents.

He said: "A significant minority of people who are replying have either left the Labour Party or are going to because they cannot take cuts in invalidity and lone-parent benefit."
 

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