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		Mel Read MEP needs to get a sense of humour - April 2002 In a recent version of my electronic newsletter, "Straight Talking", I recounted a light-hearted piece of gossip from the corridors of the European Parliament. Former president of the European Parliament, Nicole Fontaine, had published her memoirs under the French title " Mes Combats". Gossips in the parliament were suggesting that the German edition would be called "Mein Kampf" as they both loosely translate into English as "My Struggle". But my colleague Mel Read MEP, who is a Labour MEP for the East Midlands region, decided that this was a gross affront to an ex-president. She got up on a point of order in a full plenary session of the parliament, all po-faced and politically correct, to make a formal complaint against me. Mel obviously didn’t see the funny side, perhaps she needs to lighten up a bit. Here is a transcript from the European Parliament of Mel Read’s complaint and my subsequent response: MEL READ MEP – Mr President, on a point of order, I want to make a complaint about my colleague, Mr Helmer. He produces an electronic newsletter called "Straight Talking" and in that he has written what I consider to be a very serious insult to Mrs Nicole Fontaine. He describes her views as socialist verging on Marxist – which I think would come as a surprise to Mrs Fontaine, as well as to others in this House – but the most serious thing he says is that the title of her memoirs should be "Mein Kampf". That is a serious matter and I would like to invite Mr Helmer, through you, Mr President, either to apologise and retract these remarks, or alternatively to explain them. ROGER HELMER MEP – Mr President, I thank Mrs Read for giving such a good plug to my electronic newsletter. If any colleagues wish to go in the circulation list, please let me know and I shall be happy to oblige them. Mrs Fontaine gave a speech before the Lisbon Summit in which she criticised the evils of capitalism. I therefore feel entirely justified in describing those views as socialist verging on Marxist. The remark I made about Mrs Fontaine’s book Mes Combats was, as I recall, that humorists in Parliament had been saying that the German edition should be entitled "Mein Kampf", which is, I believe, German for Mes Combats . Thus, I was merely repeating gossip, which I feel I am entitled to do. I would say to Mrs Read, my regional colleague, that the issue of the speech which Mrs Fontaine made before the Lisbon Summit was aired in this chamber nearly two years ago. So she is a little behind the times.