Possible moves to oust British MEPs from senior positions within the European Parliament in the wake of the country's decision to leave the EU have been branded "vindictive."
Three MEPs from the UK have committee chairmanships in the European Parliament, including ECR group member Vicky Ford who heads up the influential internal market and consumer protection (IMCO) committee.
Claude Moraes, a UK Socialist MEP, chairs the committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs (LIBE).
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Moraes' party colleague, Linda McAvan is Chair of the assembly's development committee (DEVE).
Another three British MEPs currently co-chair committees, while one is a quaestor (a senior administrator), and seven others lead various Parliament delegations to third countries.
There is widespread speculation in Parliament that efforts are already underway to swiftly relieve British MEPs of their committee chairmanships and other top posts in the assembly.
Britain voted to leave the EU in a referendum on 23 June but the two-year 'handover' period for this to happen can't start until Article 50 of the EU treaty is triggered by the UK itself.
However, in one of the first signs of Britain's declining influence in the EU since the referendum, some MEPs are reported to be pushing for British committee chairmanships to be replaced immediately.
It is understood the issue of replacing British MEPs from their current positions was discussed at a meeting of political group leaders in Brussels on Thursday.
A senior source in the Parliament's Greens/EFA group told this website, “I'm sure there are plenty of people that would like this to happen but I don't think it is legally possible."
"I believe there was a brief discussion on this in the Conference of Presidents meeting on Thursday.
"Of course, the Parliament's political groups themselves could decide to squeeze out their UK delegations and, yes, parts of some groups are pushing for that.
"Our group thinks being vindictive is the wrong approach to take and that we shouldn't pre-empt the [UK's exit] negotiations."
An ECR group source also confirmed that, "there are some who want that [British chairmanships replaced] to happen."
"At the moment it is not going to happen swiftly. Just yesterday at the Conference of Presidents [European Parliament President] Martin Schulz said that the legal advice that he has received confirms that MEPs have no change in their status until the exit agreement has been ratified."
A Parliament spokesperson said, "As long as the UK is a member of the EU it will be entitled to 73 seats in the European Parliament of 751. MEPs sit in Parliament under a national mandate. It is the member states which notify the European Parliament which MEPs take up the seat."