Hague accuses McMillan-Scott of recklessly using smears for "individual glorification"

In a stinging letter to Edward McMillan-Scott, William Hague MP accuses the Yorkshire MEP of waging an "unpleasant" campaign against Michal Kamiński, the Polish leader of the new grouping in the European Parliament, and using "smears for personal political advantage".

He also reveals that McMillan-Scott did not bring his concerns about Mr Kamiński to Mr Kamiński himself or to any member of the Tory leadership.  "I cannot see how your behaviour is compatible," writes William Hague, "with any claim you may make that you acted in good faith on real concerns you may have had."

The Shadow Foreign Secretary suggests to McMillan-Scott that he has abused the letter and spirit of his election pledge to join a new group in the European Parliament.  "You were very happy to be elected on the back of our election manifesto and activists' hard work," Hague continues, "The only reasonable interpretation of your conduct is that, despite your pledge, you set out to do as much damage to the establishment of the ECR [European Conservatives and Reformists] as possible."

A great letter from Mr Hague until he outlines the (albeit humilating) conditions under which Edward McMillan-Scott could be restored to the Tory whip:

• Full withdrawal of allegations against Mr Kamiński;
• Full public apology to him and to Timothy Kirkhope MEP;
• Resignation from the position of Vice-President of the European Parliament.

I am sure that Mr McMillan-Scott won't agree to any of those conditions but I'd hate to see him ever return to the Tory fold under any circumstances.  His conduct has been beyond-the-pale and he must be expelled from the party as a warning to all other selfish careerists.

Michael Kamiński writes exclusively for ConservativeHome today.  He deals directly with all of Edward McMillan-Scott's disgusting smears.  This paragraph being typical:

"When I was born, Poland was a totalitarian Communist dictatorship. You could be imprisoned for speaking out against the Government. You had no say in choosing the Government. Like millions of other young Poles, I longed for freedom. I grew up in the 1980s with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan as my political heroes. However controversial at home, east of the Iron Curtain they were loved because they had no hesitation in condemning the evil of Communist tyranny or calling for democracy in our countries. In 1987, when I was 14, I joined an anti-Communist dissident group, National Revival, so I could fight for freedom. It was a typical small dissident movement in those days. When Communism crumbled in 1989 we were at last able to form political parties and have a democracy. I left NOP and helped create one such party as its youngest member. A couple of years later, NOP was taken over by extremists who turned it into what it is now: a very small and very nasty far right party. It is on this that Mr McMillan-Scott has manufactured his smear of fascist links."

Read his full piece.

Tim Montgomerie