The Euro Elections in Barnet

The Barnet Eye has said little about the Euro Elections in Barnet. For many residents, this has been a totally invisible election. Few residents know what the European Parliament does and even less care. Many people ask why they should vote and what difference it will make. If we answer these question in reverse order, what difference wil it make? None at all. the constituencies are large, the MEP's powers are negligable and the chances of your vote affecting anything are miniscule. But the more important question is "Why should I vote?". The answer to this is altogether different.

Due to the fact that few people ever vote in the Euro Elections, all manner of dodgy parties across Europe get to have elected representatives. These MEP's get offices and access to funds to help promote their whacky idea's. Despite getting a tiny share of the vote at the last general election, the PR system used for Euro elections bestowed Euro BNP MEP's. They've been paid a kings ransom in expenses. all across Europe the pattern is repeated.

If you don't vote, you are facilitating all manner of nutcase parties who will be awarded seats, which will be given to people you'd avoid on the bus. Our taxes will pay for  them to live the life of luxury in Brussels, whilst trousering a small fortune and usually not even turning up for debates and votes.

It is especially ironic that the anti Euro parties are usually the biggest trouserers of allowances. Our current MEP is a a Tory, I have no idea what she's done over the last few years. I doubt she's one anything that affects my life positively or negatively. Does she deserve my vote? Probably no more so or less so than any of the rest of them. Will I vote? Yes of course I will. I will vote because if I didn't it would make it easier for a nutcase who's policies I abhor to trouser a couple of million quid in allowances for doing nothing.

Is this all a bit depressing? Well not really. Before the EU existed my Dad spent two years flying bomber planes for the RAF killing Germans, Italians, Romanians and Yugoslavians. The EU has resulted in an unprecedented period of peace in Central Europe. The idea of the UK going to war with Germany is now absurd. If that isn't a result worth voting for, then what is?