Shame on Tories

There can be no greater evidence of how low the Conservatives have sunk than the support their MEPS have given to the authoritarian government of Viktor Orban in a crunch vote in the European Parliament.

In a desperate attempt to deliver allies in the Brexit negotiations, almost all of the politicians representing Theresa May’s party voted against a motion to censure the Hungarian leader, which in the end was overwhelmingly passed.

Their support for the rightwing leader, accused of violating press freedoms, undermining judicial independence and waging an anti-semitic campaign against Jewish businessman George Soros, as well as describing refugees as “Muslim invaders”, beggars belief.

Mr Orban’s government is also subject to allegations of corruption relating to the alleged misspending of EU funds by his friends and family.

Politicians from across the EU voted by a two-thirds majority in favour of starting

the Article 7 process – which could ultimately see Hungary stripped of its voting rights at the European Council.

It is absolutely shocking that the Conservative MEPS voted against that motion, but as the party lurches to the right and desperately scrambles for allies in the Brexit negotiations, it should come as no real surprise and what we have ultimately come to expect.

ALEX ORR Leamington Terrace, Edinburgh