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The Tories' grouping in Europe is facing an embarrassing split after a controversial Polishpriest who runs a radio station that broadcasts antisemitic viewswas invited to the European parliament by one of its MEPs. Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, whose Radio Maryja station has beencondemned by Jewish organisations and the Vatican for its extremeviews, was invited last week to Brussels by a Polish MEP from theEuropean Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), the anti-federalist group. The invitation has angered some Tory MEPs, including one who haswritten to Polish colleagues demanding that members of the groupnever again invite someone with antisemitic views to Brussels. The split is an embarrassment for the Tories because the ECR, whichwas formed two years ago, is closely associated with David Cameron. It comes as Poland 's attitude towards racism is being scrutinised during the Euro2012 football championship, which the country is co-hosting withUkraine. Douglas Alexander, the shadow foreign secretary, said Rydzyk'spresence in the European parliament was deeply troubling. "TheConservatives have serious questions to answer about why theyallowed the group they created in the European parliament to beassociated with an event like this," he said. Rydzyk was in Brussels on Tuesday, along with about 200 supporters,at the behest of MEPs belonging to Poland's Law and Justice party,key allies of the Conservatives in the parliament. His attendance was to draw attention to the situation of TV Trwam,the television arm of his controversial radio station, which hasbeen taken off the air in Poland owing to a dispute over itsbroadcast licence. At least four Polish MEPs from the European group attended a rally.One key Tory ally, the ECR's vice-chairman, Ryszard Legutko,addressed the crowd. Others attended a Rydzyk meeting within theEuropean parliament. The meeting was sponsored by Miros awPiotrowski, an ECR MEP, who sat alongside Rydzyk. Marina Yannakoudakis, the Tory MEP for London, has written toPiotrowski saying Rydzyk should not be allowed to attend meetingswithin the parliament. She wrote: "I am personally offended by hiscomments about Jews and I feel let down that a member of the ECRgroup allowed Father Rydzyk to express his views in the Europeanparliament. "I support free speech, but believe that we must draw the line atthose like Father Rydzyk who promote antisemitic or xenophobicteaching. As such, I ask you to never invite Father Rydzyk to theEuropean parliament again." Martin Callanan, the chairman of the European Conservatives,insisted that the meeting was not held under an ECR banner. "I havenever met Rydzyk and have no intention of doing so. This was not anECR event and had nothing to do with British Conservatives," hesaid. He said he did not know about Yannakoudakis's letter and declinedto say whether he would also be personally offended by Rydzyk'sprevious comments about Jews. "I don't want to get into that," headded. But despite Callanan's claim, the ECR's logo was used to publicisethe rally and the meeting. Emails seen by the Guardian show that an ECR press officer, Mateusz Kochanowski, helped topublicise the event circulated photographs of Rydzyk using thegroup's logo. The ECR also published a Polish press release on its website , illustrated with a photograph of Rydzyk. The press release says:"Today, in front of the European Parliament building in Brusselswas organised by the Law and Justice demonstration in defence ofmedia freedom in Poland and TV Trwam. It brought togetherrepresentatives of the Belgian Polonia and Poles and visitors fromBritain, France, Holland and other European countries." Rydzyk was named the sixth most influential man in Poland by onenewspaper, because of Radio Maryja's popularity with rural,ultra-conservative communities. The station has been at the centre of controversy since it wasestablished 11 years ago, with critics arguing that it is vehemently antisemitic, homophobic andxenophobic. In January 2000 a guest "historian" from a Catholic universityclaimed Auschwitz was not an extermination camp but a large labourfacility for Jews. In 2007, on tapes released by the weekly magazine Wprost, a voicealleged to be Rydzyk's was heard accusing the then president, LechKaczy ski, of being in the pocket of Poland's Jewish community . "You know what this is about: Poland giving [the Jews] $65bn( 40bn)," he was alleged to have said. The priest has refused tocomment. In 2010 Micha Kami ski, a Polish MEP, quit the Law and Justiceparty saying he "could not accept the party being taken over by thefar-right". Timothy Kirkhope, the former leader of the Tories' in the group,said Rydzyk should not be associated with the ECR and questionedknow why the group's logo was being used. "There needs to be anexplanation of what happened here," he added. David Cameron was a key figure in establishing the ECR afterpledging to withdraw during the 2005 general election campaign fromthe pro-Europe grouping occupied by most centre-right parties inEurope. The ECR was formed in June 2009 and is dominated by BritishConservatives and Polish anti-federalists. An ECR spokesman said the rally and meeting were not organised orsponsored by the group. "Mr Kochanowski is the Law and Justicedelegation's press officer and works under their instruction," headded. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Electromagnetic Interactive Whiteboard , Multitouch All In One PC Manufacturer, and more. For more , please visit Whiteboard Marker Ink today!
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