EU Vote

- yes, I noticed that, HollyDaze! Don't give him any ideas...

That's the trouble with the list system, isn't it? We have to vote for a party and seats are proportionately distributed. But we have no idea - unless we are party activists and maybe not even then - whom we are voting for and what sort of representation we are likely to have. As I said before, I have known an MEP, and a very good one, but was not always convinced of the calibre of some of the other candidates in the list.

Galen, two wrongs never ever make a right. But you cannot believe the number of UK people in Switzerland who work just long enough to pick up the dole here - in Swiss wages- and also go back to uk for NHS medical treatment (to which they are of course not legally entitled to as resident abroad) despite having large wage abroad!!!

Hmm, I meant YouGov

Well, the responses on this thread certainly made me smile.

There are complaints because people don't vote and complaints when they do

The chap from YouGove, on BBC News, classified UKIP as being 'left of centre right and non-toxic'; though I'm sure many on here will disagree with that.

The Isle of Man is not part of Europe but if it was, I would definitely be voting 'out' - in what way has it benefitted the UK? And, please, no mention of peace, many countries around the world have managed peace without being part of Europe. In fact, thinking about the riots in several countries brought about by EU failures ...

Quite, Riverwalk. I discovered tonight that my representatives in the European Parliament will be two Labour Party members and one UKIP member.
I will be writing to the Labour members to ask them what their policies are, since they didn't even bother to put a leaflet through my door. That's arrogance for you.
Just for the record, I despise UKIP and am saddened that no fewer than 177,00 people in the North-east voted for them.

newist

I believe the greater plan (by some) is to have a United Europe, this would suit all the global multinational companies, What follows that is most scarey. But not classing myself as an intellectual make me wary of posting

The fact that you can see something that many others cannot, kind of makes you an intellectual

When perusing the ballot paper I was surprised to see Claude Moraes ..... there's a blast from the past I thought as I remembered the name from the 80/90s when he was a legal activist.

I'm even more surprised today to learn that he's been a London MEP since 1999!

There are eight MEPs for London, approx one per million constituents - no wonder most citizens feel it's nothing to do with them.

a strong voice in defence of the environment and and advocate of many environmental initiatives. I fear that those who have taken his place will be less enthusiastic, if, indeed, they ever bother to take their seats! Will the environment be the victim of the rise of the right?

Just a guess but I suspect the people who have voted against the norm are more concerned about being able to feed their families and pay their bills - the environment will take a backseat every time if people are going hungry and/or cold.

Not at all

'But not classing myself as an intellectual make me wary of posting.'

Why, newist? The posts I was referring to were not yours, but obviously they have made you feel inhibited about expressing your views...

Never met one, not even when they were candidates and campaigning.

We have met our MP and AM on several occasions, but who do you count as your MEP when the area is so large? How do they divvy it up - or not?

No, I haven't.

Has anyone actually met an MEP? Farage doesn't count; he'll shake anyone's hand for a pint.

My comment was neither sarcastic or condescending, I just have never considered myself as being an intellectual.

I hope all the MEPs will be taking their places and working to reform systems and hold to account those who control the EU budget. However, I am rather doubtful that this is going to happen. We all should know now who our new MEPs are and perhaps we should make sure they are available to answer our questions and report back to us, and not just disappear into the gravy train and bars of Brussels and Strasbourg.

I think a lot of people have been largely unaware of the strategies and workings of the EU and of its general aims unless something controversial appears in the press. Perhaps it is time we started to take more notice and demand that our MEPs answer to us in regular meetings or surgeries.

What's all this rubbish about being 'intellectual' or not? Someone mentions 'the intellecual left' once, and some people take the mick and pretend they don't know what it means.

I would have thought we could discuss things in a grown-up, intelligent manner without resorting to sarcasm and condescending comments.

I believe the greater plan (by some) is to have a United Europe, this would suit all the global multinational companies, What follows that is most scarey. But not classing myself as an intellectual make me wary of posting

Fact is that the EU, like the British legal system, is full of holes, but there is nothing better and hasn't been for nearly seventy years of peace we have all enjoyed in most of Europe. Recent events have, not surprisingly, produced a Europe-wide reaction to years of anger and bitterness with the way Europe is run and the world-wide financial mess made by the bankers. Hopefully those in charge will now address the problems properly and start to sort them out. If they don't the whole concept will founder and that would be a tragedy.

Immigration has been seized upon as a major source of criticism, but does anybody really think that the waves of immigrants would stop if the EU was not there. I doubt it, even the Channel does not stop them getting to the UK. A bigger problem is trade - if this new trade deal with the US goes ahead both the EU and national identities will be irrelevant. We will all be crushed by the economic power of the US. Are they, perhaps, secretly hoping that the European project will founder?

In the meantime will all those new protesting MEP's be drawing big fat salaries for doing nothing, much as the Farage clan have done? How anybody can support them I don't know. You wouldn't pay a thief and troublemaker to stay in your home, would you? I certainly wouldn't!

I don't like UKIP!
I'm not anti the EU. But I do think it needs reform and we need autonomy.
The immigration levels and benefits really need reform
I've seen people receiving benefits in Germany and here although returning to Somalia for several months each year for 'treatment'

Newist

I thought for a minute all hope of any intellectual conversation had gone, thank you.

If MEPs are being ignored by the powers-that-be then it was a charade holding elections. Who IS in charge, those elected or those appointed?

Aargh!

anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/ukip-ttip-eu-trade-deal-2014.html

That has long been my fear Pogs The Federal State of Europe, that is the long term plan of a few