- Mr President, on a point of order. On behalf of the Socialist Group I have to say that we do not accept that reasoning. There are precedents for exactly this happening in the past, and I wish to ask you to refer that ruling to the Committee on the Rules of Procedure for an urgent decision on that because you are setting a different precedent to one that has gone before. It is clear that these two issues, one and two, impact on one another very greatly, and there is definitely a precedent in this House for those two to be put together.
The Socialist Group wishes to see a vote taken on the objections. We all know - and in the Socialist Group we respect the fact - that Rwanda is an important, serious and urgent issue. We are amenable to it going on the list. It is already on the list of human rights - it is number one on that list. It seems colleagues wish to put it higher up on the political agenda. We are amenable to that. But we also believe that there can be no more urgent issue for the people of the Union than employment, trade union rights and their derecognition, and pension rights. I would say to Mr Cox that none of these issues is covered in the question and answer session with Mr Flynn. There is to be no statement of Parliament's views after that question and answer session, and tomorrow's debate is solely about the poverty programme. So these issues are not covered in any of the other issues, and we would say: let us put Rwanda second or third on the list, let us keep the social discussion and let us put issues one and two togethe
r, as the GUE and the ARE Groups request.
We would support that. We appeal to others to look at Rwanda which is important to Africa but also at the issues which are important to people in the European Union.
Last month this issue of social rights was taken off the agenda because the right voted against it. We appeal to you: if employment is such a big issue, let us deal with it. Colleagues, put your votes where your mouths are and vote today to keep it on the agenda.
(Applause)
