Fianna Fáíl's only M-E-P could face suspension from the parliamentary party today after leaving Fianna Fáíl's grouping in the European Parliament.

Brian Crowley has left the European group to which Fianna Fáil belongs, and joined the same group as David Cameron's Conservatives and some other Eurosceptic parties.

After losing two of its three seats in last month's European elections, the last thing Fianna Fáil needed was for its biggest vote-winner to walk away from the party.

But yesterday Brian Crowley said he was pulling out of the European group to which Fianna Fáil belongs, to join the Eurosceptic E-C-R group set up by David Cameron five years ago instead.

HE says it's because the E-C-R is a "non-federalist, pro-EU group" which wants national governments to have more power - and because it means he can save the jobs of his Irish staff who could be laid off otherwise.

But Fianna Fáil says his staff would have kept their jobs anyway - and that it's "unacceptable" for someone who ran under the FF banner last month to now join a group whose principles openly conflict with its own.

His status will be discussed at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party today - with every prospect that the party will have to suspend its only M-E-P for turning his back on the party only a month after being re-elected.