User:The C of E/fvp

Farage v Parliament and Buzek is a 2012 European Court of Justice case brought by the British MEP and leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party leader Nigel Farage against the European Parliament and President Jerzy Buzek. It was brought after the Parliament had fined Farage for insulting Herman Van Rompuy. The court ruled in favour of the Parliament.

Background
Nigel Farage was addressing the European Parliament as the Co-President of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group. Farage said that Van Rompuy had "...the charisma of a damp rag and the appearance of a low grade bank clerk" and described Belgium as a "non-country". A number of MEPs called on Farage to withdraw the remark. After initially not calling him to order, European PArliament President JErzy Buzek called Farage for a meeting where he demanded Farage make an apology. Farage stated that the only apology he would make would be to bank clerks. As a result, Buzek fined Farage 10 days allowances, which equated to €2,980 (£2,700).