Wednesday 8 June 2011

Hiding the costs!

A recurring and divisive theme in the European Parliament is the cost of relocating MEPs and staff to Strasbourg for 4 days every month.
 
On June 8th in Strasbourg, parliamentarians debated a report on the EU's finances. The report contained a reference to the savings that could be made to the taxpayer by ending the ludicrous practice of having two seats. An attempt was made to quietly delete this reference, and to keep the extravagance hushed up. No less than 282 MEPs voted for the cover-up, but it was defeated, and the waste remains exposed.
 
I was amused to note that three British Conservative MEPs voted for the cover-up, but then retrospectively changed their vote. This is an administrative excercise only - their original vote could have affected the outcome, changing it subsequently would have no effect. I often wonder exactly what the Tories are really up to in Europe...