Parliament has today approved an agreement on the EU's budget for 2015 – much to the dismay of GUE/NGL MEPs.

Spanish MEP Pablo Echenique, the group's shadow rapporteur on the issue, said: “Yesterday I asked MEPs who they work for. Today, the members of EPP, S&D and ALDE have answered: they work for the vampires of finance.

“Today, the chamber passed a 2015 budget that is clearly anti-European, anti-social, short-sighted, and irresponsible. Today, they have signed off on an agreement that will lead to further increases in the south-north divide, more political space conceded to the ghost of fascism, and further destruction of the economy and the future of Europe.”