After European Parliament President Martin Schulz today tried to appoint the leader of the fourth largest group in the parliament as the institution’s only Brexit negotiator, the leader of the European Conservatives and Reformists Syed Kamall MEP said:

After European Parliament President Martin Schulz today tried to appoint the leader of the fourth largest group in the parliament as the institution’s only Brexit negotiator, the leader of the European Conservatives and Reformists Syed Kamall MEP said:

“If the parliament wishes to appoint a Brexit negotiator then it must be a decision made by a majority of all 751 MEPs, and the person and persons to fulfil the role must be voted on by the full parliament.

“It is not right that the President and a couple of men sitting in a back room can decide everything and foist it on the democratically elected representatives.

“If the parliament thinks that Guy Verhofstadt is the right person to represent it in the negotiations then that’s fair enough, but these backroom stitch-ups are disrespectful of the 747 other MEPs and their voters.”