The row between two rebel Labour MEPs and the British government over their "courtship" of the Green group in the European Parliament may lead to their expulsion from the Labour Party when the National Executive Committee meets next month.
Mr Ken Coates and Mr Hugh Kerr, who face exclusion from the Socialist group in the European Parliament later today, recently clashed with the government over plans to cut social security benefits and a reform of Labour's selection process for the European Parliament elections next year that may have seen them lose their seats.
Amid signs of growing unrest over the changes among Labour's old guard, Mr Coates and Mr Kerr threw down the gauntlet to the leadership last year with their proposal to stand as independent candidates within the Socialist group, to which Labour MEPs and socialist delegates must belong.
They signalled their willingness to move to the rival Green group shortly before Christmas, but confusion over the timing and receipt of letters between the two MEPs and the leader of the Greens, Ms Pauline Green, clouded the issue of their membership until this week.
Ms Green said yesterday that although she did not want Mr Coates or Mr Kerr to leave the group, their actions could not be ignored. "As far as I understand it they have already joined the Greens and under European Parliament rules there is no question of sitting in two parties at once," she said.
Meanwhile, the Tory leader, Mr William Hague, made it clear yesterday that Tory grandees who have "had their day" would not make him alter his position on Britain's entry to the EMU.
Giving short shrift to the former prime minister, Sir Edward Heath, and the former chancellor, Mr Ken Clarke, who were among those who criticised his policy that Britain should not sign up to EMU in the next 10 years, Mr Hague said he would not be blackmailed into changing policy.
To the pro-European Tories he said: "Anybody who says to me, `You change your policy or I leave the party', well the policy will stay the same."
Pledging his support for Mr Hague, the former Tory MP, Mr Michael Portillo, who lost his seat in the election, said the signatories of this week's letter to the London Independent have not toed the party line. Responding to reports that he and the former Governor of Hong Kong, Mr Chris Patten, were leading a charge against Mr Hague's leadership, Mr Portillo said: "I am a firm supporter of Mr William Hague's policy on Europe. Those who have signed the letter to the Independent support Mr Blair's policy."
Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, ended days of speculation about his future by ruling out the possibility of quitting Westminster for the Scottish Parliament.
Recent reports suggested he was keen to be First Minister in Scotland's new administration, but yesterday he rejected that idea, at least for the first term of the new parliament.
He said that while he was not sure he would be able to beat the 11-year record set by this century's longest-serving Foreign Secretary, he "wouldn't mind a crack at" the post-war six-year record.