Diana re-elected as a Vice President of the European Parliament

10.46.14am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 15th Jul 2009

Local Liberal Democrat Euro MP, Diana Wallis, has been re-elected as a Vice President of the European Parliament.

Diana Wallis has been a Vice President of the European Parliament for the past two and a half years and after being re-elected by her colleagues in last night's vote, she has become the first British woman ever to serve 2 terms as a Vice President.

Diana Wallis will be joined as a Vice President by maverick Yorkshire Conservative Edward McMillan-Scott who defied his party's whip to stand as an Independent and was also successfully re-elected as a Vice President.

Diana Wallis said after the vote:

"With two Vice-Presidents, Yorkshire & the Humber region will sit at the top table of the workings of the European Parliament. My experience over the past two and a half years shows that has to be a good thing for the people of this region."

ends.

Notes:

In 1997 Diana Wallis became the first Liberal Democrat and the first British female of any political party in over 20 years to be elected Vice President of the European Parliament. There are 14 Vice Presidents similar in a role to Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. They have the opportunity to chair debates, votes and question time. They also take on specific responsibilities. In the last mandate Diana Wallis had taken on key roles in making the European Parliament more open and transparent.

(Photo shows Diana Wallis MEP chairing a session of the European Parliament)