Irish MEP Luke “Ming” Flanagan’s efforts to contribute to a debate on agriculture and the EU’s long-term budget were slightly undone by the fact that he wasn’t wearing trousers.
Flanagan was taking part in a discussion in the European Parliament’s agriculture committee via videoconference on Tuesday sitting on a bed wearing a shirt and underpants.
Mr Flanagan could be seen rubbing his upper leg as he said to the committee: “We read in some European newspapers how this money will be broken down state-by-state. Where can MEPs get definitive information on this rather than reading it second-hand from European journalism?”
Chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, Norbert Lins hid a smile when the camera returned to him, as his English translator attempted not to laugh when putting Mr Flanagan’s question to the committee for debate.
#CONFINAMIENTO
¿Un eurodiputado del @parlamentoUE interviene ¡¡desde la cama y ¿¿¿ en paños menores???😱 para analizar el impacto del Marco Financiero Plurianual #MFP en la #PAC ?💆♂️ Esfuerzos en la comisión parlamentaria #COMAGRI por contener la risa.#coronavirus#COVIDー19 pic.twitter.com/R6SOIS7ZDY
— Jorge Jaramillo (@jorjaramil) June 2, 2020
Asked about his state of undress by a journalist on Twitter, Flanagan said he was “just back from a run” and “was in a T-shirt two minutes before. Decided to put on shirt to look respectable! That worked really well.” He added: “Hope you like my legs!”
Flanagan later tweeted at fellow Irish MEP Mick Wallace, known for his flamboyant shirts: “I’ll see your pink shirt and raise you a pair of underwear.”
Mr Flanagan was also criticised, with one social media user saying: “I don’t think it’s wise to show up with no pants in an official meeting, especially when you’re supposed to be an EU decision-maker. I’d personally get fired if I’d do that. Lack of respect really.”
To which Mr Flanagan replied: “You’re some craic.”
