Tories out of the EPP, but now where?

Conservative Home revealed a couple of days ago that the Tories have officially handed in notice to leave the EPP-ED, the largest grouping in the European Parliament. This was a promise made by Cameron during his leadership election campaign back in 2005 and it has taken nearly four years to implement. 

The big problem for the Conservatives is that it leaves potential voters wondering what it is they are really voting for. Not only is the Tory party completely divided on the Lisbon Treaty, it now doesn't have a home in the European Parliament.

As this blog has discussed before, one of the main problems in voting for domestic parties is that they form such a tiny fraction of the overall number of MEPs in Brussels. The Tories, even though they won the last EU elections with 27 MEPs, still only represent 4% of the European parliament. At least while they were in the EPP they had a voice and people knew where they stood. Now that they are on the outside, they have absolutely no influence in the Parliament.

Cameron announced in 2006 that he would try to form a new grouping with a Czech party, but so far there has been little evidence of that going ahead. Even if they manage to meet the minimum requirements of having MEPs from seven different countries in their new group, all indications are that it will remain a fringe group like the Independence and Democracy Group (UKIP's group).

So what will be the point of British voters supporting a marginalised Tory party with no influence in the Parliament?

Perhaps Cameron is anticipating joining the Libertas group after June...?