Tories appoint Irishman as secretary general of group

THE British Tories have formed their own group in the European Parliament and appointed Irishman Frank Barrett as secretary general.

The son of the late Sylvie Barrett, a Clare Fianna Fáil TD and minister, Mr Barrett held a similar position with the UEN group for the past 10 years.

The Fianna Fáil MEPs belonged to the UEN and South MEP Brian Crowley was its co-president for the past five years. But their three MEPs are now in the process of moving to the Liberals after Taoiseach Brian Cowen insisted they belong to a more mainstream group.