English MEP summoned to explain anti-Van Rompuy rant

(BRUSSELS) - English far-right lawmaker Nigel Farage faces a reprimand from the head of the European parliament next week for calling EU president Herman Van Rompuy a "damp rag" and describing Belgium as a "non-country."

The video of a planned speech by the UK Independence Party MEP, delivered as Van Rompuy squirmed in his seat, has quickly become an YouTube hit since causing outrage in the parliamentary chamber on Wednesday.

Belgium's prime minister also articulated his anger on Thursday, saying self-styled bad boy loudmouth Farage's outburst had "shamed" the European parliament and "brought the institution into disrepute."

In a letter to its president, Yves Leterme warned that the Belgian people would not tolerate any repeat of "the particularly discourteous remarks about Belgium."

He told Jerzy Buzek not to "underestimate the effect on my fellow (Belgian) citizens."

Buzek "envisages" applying sanctions on Farage, according to the parliament president's entourage.

A spokesman for UKIP, which wants to take Britain out of Europe but has minimal following outside England, said that Buzek had summoned Farage to his office next week.

"We received a message from Buzek's office saying come to see the headmaster on Tuesday afternoon, with a view to taking things further," the spokesman told AFP.

Farage, whose speeches have previously been denounced as unparliamentary by critis, outdid himself in the chamber.

"I don't want to be rude," said Farage.

"But really you have the charisma of a damp rag and the appearance of a low-grade bank clerk.

"Who are you? I'd never heard of you, nobody in Europe had ever heard of you...

"I sense though that you are competent and capable and dangerous, and I have no doubt that your intention is to be the quiet assassin of European democracy and of European nation states.

"You seem to have a loathing for the very concept of the existence of nation states.

"Perhaps that's because you come from Belgium, which is pretty much a non-country," he told the former Belgian PM, who has made a low-key entrance into European politics since assuming the new role of EU Council president in December.

"Sir, you have no legitimacy in this job at all," he concluded.

Farage appeared in no mood to back down on Thursday.

"If they think describing the EU council president as a wet rag and doubting his charisma is so upsetting they should get out more and grow up," he said.

"This is politics, it isn't a game."

A political source said that Buzek had the powers to suspend him from EU parliament meetings or dock his expenses.

There were unconfirmed reports that Farage would turn up for his dressing down from the "headmaster" in shorts and a school cap.