EU CIA TORTURE REPORT - HOW THEY VOTED

Set out below is the voting pattern in the European parliament after the recent report into CIA torture flights and their use of EU countries. While there was cross-party support in Parliament as a whole, the UK members seem to have voted on strict party lines and a simple majority of UK

Set out below is the voting pattern in the European parliament after the recent report into CIA torture flights and their use of EU countries.

While there was cross-party support in Parliament as a whole, the UK members seem to have voted on strict party lines and a simple majority of UK members voted against. .

Votes in favour: 18 Labour, 11 LibDem, 2 Green, 2 SNP and 1 Plaid Cymru = 34

Votes against: 23 Conservatives, 8 UKIP, 1 dissident UKIP, 1 Democratic Unionist, 1 Ulster Unionist and 1 dissident Conservative = 35

Abstentions: 2 Conservatives

Not present for the vote: 1 Lab, 1 LibDem, 1 Con, 2 UKIP, 1 dissident UKIP and 1 SF

Irish members also appear to have voted on party lines - although a majority were in favour. The break-down was as follows:

For: 3 FG, 1 Lab, 1 SF, 2 Ind (Kathy Sinnott, associated in the EP with the Eurosceptic group, and Marian Harkin, associated in the EO with the ALDE (Liberal) group = 7

Against: 4 FF

Not present for the vote: 2 FG

The vote against by the four FF members (the Irish governing party) may indicate Irish government \'sour grapes\' over criticisms in the report.

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

17/02/07