STRASBOURG

The European Parliament normally meets in Brussels. But 12 times a year it is obliged to hold a full session in the French city of Strasbourg. This is a ridiculous state of affairs, but unfortunately MEPs do not have the power to decide where the Parliament actually meets.

The requirement to meet in Strasbourg is written into a European treaty which former Tory Prime Minister John Major sadly signed up to in 1992. Any attempt to abolish Strasbourg would now require the agreement of all member states - something France has been resisting.

More than one million European citizens have signed an online petition ( www.oneseat.eu ) which calls for scrapping of the Strasbourg Parliament. Why not add your name to the petition?

MEPs were therefore delighted when, over the summer recess, the ceiling of the Strasbourg Parliament collapsed. MEPs were due to have two four-day-long meetings in Strasbourg this September. But, because of the repair work, the meetings have been relocated to take place in Brussels.

By holding all our meetings in Brussels this week, MEPs have clearly demonstrated that there is absolutely no reason to continue holding meetings in Strasbourg. The Parliament in Strasbourg sits empty for 307 days a year costs €200 million per year. The only reason for keeping it open is French national pride. That is certainly not worth €200 million a year.

I will certainly be continuing my campaign against the wasteful commute to Strasbourg. At the moment I'm investigating whether MEPs can use a legal loophole to abolish Strasbourg without having to change the European treaties.

Watch this space for more information.

Is UKIP trying to bankrupt the EU?

UKIP have always said they wanted to bring the EU down from the inside.
They obviously failed, but are they trying to bankrupt the EU instead?

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/1105_brussels_exposed.shtml

MEPs EMPLOYMENT OF FAMILY MEMBERS

Tory MP Derek Conway was recently exposed for employing his two sons in his office while they were at university and working elsewhere. Allegedly neither of them actually did any work for their father as their allegiances were somewhere else. Although Conway denied this, he will not stand again for the House of Commons at the next general election.

Yesterday the European Parliament voted to ban MEPs employing their relatives. I was one of the large parliamentary majority who supported this measure.

Our allowances and expenses are rightly being closely scrutinised. It is important that you as taxpayers know what we receive and how we spend it.

UKIP MAYOR OF LONDON CANDIDATE

UKIP's candidate for Mayor of London, Gerard Batten, is obviously fighting hard to clear up corruption and improve financial transparency. On his campaign website he promises to "give Londoners value for money" and challenges Ken Livingstone's "lies" over how much the London Assembly costs.

However, Batten is clearly concerned that he is not being treated seriously enough. On 4th April he wrote to the Guardian to complain that he wasn't getting enough publicity. He said that "The way that some elements of the media have so far reported this election is a disgrace in a so-called democracy"

When not campaigning for Mayor of London, Batten is also a UKIP MEP for London. All MEPs have to submit a declaration of financial interests to the European Parliament every year. Unless MEPs expressly object, this is then made public on the European Parliament's website.

There are nine MEPs for London but Batten is the only MEP who refuses to allow his declaration of financial interests to be made public on Parliament's website.

Perhaps Batten might like to explain to the public why they can't see who he's taking money from before they vote for him.