Sharon slams UKIP and BNP for voting against caps on bankers´ bonuses

3.51.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 7th Jul 2010

Lib Dem MEP Sharon Bowles today slammed UKIP and the BNP voting against the tough new laws to introduce caps on top bankers´ cash bonuses. This was overwhelmingly voted through the European Parliament by 625 in favour to 28 against, there were 37 abstentions.

In effect UKIP and BNP MEPs voted against the legislation in order to keep the status quo, which has seen huge bonus packages continue to be handed out despite unprecedented government intervention.

Sharon Bowles said:

"Today we voted to ensure that there will be no more "Fred Goodwins", a cap on cash bonuses and measures to make sure top bankers take the hit rather than taxpayers.

"I´m gobsmacked that UKIP and the BNP don´t see fit to support these measures and I wonder what their constituents would have to say on the matter.

"You can only assume that while thousands of workers have lost their jobs, they are only too happy for casino bankers to continue to skulk off to sunnier climes with the public's money in their back pocket."

ENDS

Note to editors:

UKIP MEPs who voted against: John Agnew, Gerard Batten, Godfrey Bloom, John Bufton, David Campbell Bannerman, Derek Clark, William (The Earl of) Dartmouth, Nigel Farage, Paul Nuttall

BNP MEPs who voted against: Nick Griffin, Andrew Brons