Brussels, 23/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - British Conservative Bill Newton-Dunn (who was re-elected to the European Parliament in June 1999, having been a member from 1979 to 1994) has left the EPP Group, with which the Tories sit, to join the Liberal Group chaired by Pat Cox. The latter said he was particularly happy that Mr. Newton-Dunn, "as a pro-European, has joined the Liberal-Democrats at a time when we are asserting more European political influence than ever before and we are more determined than ever to confront the corrosive effects of jingoism and Euro-scepticism". As for British Liberal-Democrat Graham Watson, considering that the British Conservatives in Brussels had "hatched within their nest a football hooligan class of MEPs which is dangerously xenophobic", said that "Bill understands what is at stake for Britain", and hoped that "his bravery will be an example to other decent Tories".