MEP's vote keep disgusting perks and salary's.

[The Matthew Islands]

European politicians rejected three cost-cutting measures, which would have seen salaries frozen and travel allowances cut, in a move branded as "shameful"...
Conservative and Ukip MEPs voted for the cost-saving proposals but Labour and Liberal Democrat members either voted against or abstained.

Would someone like to remind me why the EU is a good idea?
This is ridiculous. They are calling for austerity packages from all member nations but continue handing themselves lavish perks.

Does anyone even know what MEP's really do and who they are?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/8441261/MEPs-vote-to-keep-world-beating-salaries-and-allowances.html

[Lordieth]

I hate that we in the UK are in the EU, we don't even get a say in it. The 'trade' argument is a load of crap too. Non-EU members do fine when it comes to trade in Europe.

[Occupied Deutschland]

The Lib Dems and such opposed this because they said it was misrepresentative and wouldn't actually lower Parliament's salaries.
I guess that's kind've true, it just would've kept them from getting a raise and made them fly economy-class rather than business.
I don't think that's too much to ask of politicians. But, maybe someone who knows EU politics more could explain where I'm going wrong?

[Unchecked Expansion]

Well easier trade and travel are nice. The immigration laws are nice too. If we signed up to more of their treaties we'd have less asylum seekers and illegal immigrants too, which seems to be what everyone opposed to the EU wants

[The Matthew Islands]

Well easier trade and travel are nice. The immigration laws are nice too. If we signed up to more of their treaties we'd have less asylum seekers and illegal immigrants too, which seems to be what everyone opposed to the EU wants

Hardly. Some of the people opposed to the EU wan't less immigration. Signing up to more stuff wouldn't actually decrease immigration, just make those entering illegally legal.

[Siorafrica]

Of course a small group will vote for more money for themselves. The poor are socialist and the rich are capitalist. That's politics. /thread

[Hydesland]

Non-EU members do fine when it comes to trade in Europe.

Which is pretty much twattish free riding on massive efforts by the EU on regulatory and duty harmonisation, but whatever.

[The Deleted Chris]

No shit. Hopefully one more drain on British public faith in the EU.

[Unchecked Expansion]

Hardly. Some of the people opposed to the EU wan't less immigration. Signing up to more stuff wouldn't actually decrease immigration, just make those entering illegally legal.

Wrong. The Schengen agreement forces immigrants to be processed in their country of entry into the EU. Which would mean those coming across from France can be sent back without issues. As we are not party to the agreement, the French don't care about anyone that reaches us

[The Matthew Islands]

Of course a small group will vote for more money for themselves. The poor are socialist and the rich are capitalist. That's politics. /thread

This wasn't a small group, it was a majority because the cost cutting measure failed.

Hardly. Some of the people opposed to the EU wan't less immigration. Signing up to more stuff wouldn't actually decrease immigration, just make those entering illegally legal.

Wrong. The Schengen agreement forces immigrants to be processed in their country of entry into the EU. Which would mean those coming across from France can be sent back without issues. As we are not party to the agreement, the French don't care about anyone that reaches us

Is that for nations outside of the EU? I thought that member nations of the EU couldn't restrict the movement of people from other EU nations.

[Oterro]

Of course a small group will vote for more money for themselves. The poor are socialist and the rich are capitalist. That's politics. /thread

Isn't Norway socialist?

It's pretty rich too, I think.

[Helertia]

No shit. Hopefully one more drain on British public faith in the EU.

And one more drain on the British public faith in representative democracy.

[F1-Insanity]

Non-EU members do fine when it comes to trade in Europe.

Which is pretty much twattish free riding on massive efforts by the EU on regulatory and duty harmonisation, but whatever.

Harmonization = EU word for 'gleichschaltung'... not a good idea...

[Call to power]

Would someone like to remind me why the EU is a good idea?

http://youtu.be/lFyywfHbj3M

This is ridiculous. They are calling for austerity packages from all member nations but continue handing themselves lavish perks.

Politicians vote against taking economy class flight you say!?

This is pathetic

Does anyone even know what MEP's really do and who they are?

they are your elected members of the European Parliament and you are either 12 or not of a sufficient knowledge to be commenting on the affairs of the European Union.

I hate that we in the UK are in the EU, we don't even get a say in it.

only we do and Britain has a big say in the EU...so like stick to doing the Mails crossword please

[Hydesland]

Harmonization = EU word for 'gleichschaltung'... not a good idea...

Except being opposed to harmonization is essentially pro excessive protectionism, which is far closer to Nazism, not to mention essentially pro inefficiency.

[Lordieth]

Non-EU members do fine when it comes to trade in Europe.

Which is pretty much twattish free riding on massive efforts by the EU on regulatory and duty harmonisation, but whatever.

Which makes UK politicians who use the 'trade' defence dishonest. So the only real perk of the EU doesn't really exist. I like freedom, but the EU is a bit 'too' left-wing for me. Britain at the moment has to either comply with them or spend millions to explain why it doesn't agree in a legal case, and that'd get us no where. The right for rapists and murderers in prison to get a vote in how our country works? Thanks EU. Lovely freedom contradiction that.

[Risottia]

I hate that we in the UK are in the EU, we don't even get a say in it.

You do actually.

9.72% of the EuroParliament seats
+ 1 Commissioner
+ the (totally inept imho) High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

[Helertia]

Which is pretty much twattish free riding on massive efforts by the EU on regulatory and duty harmonisation, but whatever.

Which makes UK politicians who use the 'trade' defence dishonest. So the only real perk of the EU doesn't really exist. I like freedom, but the EU is a bit 'too' left-wing for me. Britain at the moment has to either comply with them or spend millions to explain why it doesn't agree in a legal case, and that'd get us no where. The right for rapists and murderers in prison to get a vote in how our country works? Thanks EU. Lovely freedom contradiction that.

Don't know why you're complaining, they'd obviously vote Tory. It's the only party which courts the openly-evil vote.

[The Matthew Islands]

This is ridiculous. They are calling for austerity packages from all member nations but continue handing themselves lavish perks.

Politicians vote against taking economy class flight you say!?

This is pathetic

Does anyone even know what MEP's really do and who they are?

they are your elected members of the European Parliament and you are either 12 or not of a sufficient knowledge to be commenting on the affairs of the European Union.

Ah, so MEP's are completely justified in taking Business class flights, earning about 20K more than a British MP and voting against savings of up to 20 million pounds while calling for austerity in member nations?

Also, the individual MEP's aren't elected. The party is elected, we don't get a say in who our individual MEP is unless operating an open list system. I am not sure which parties do in the UK.
You also didn't answer my question. I said what do they do not what are they. Although I have kind of answered my own question after looking around after typing that...

[Lordieth]

Which makes UK politicians who use the 'trade' defence dishonest. So the only real perk of the EU doesn't really exist. I like freedom, but the EU is a bit 'too' left-wing for me. Britain at the moment has to either comply with them or spend millions to explain why it doesn't agree in a legal case, and that'd get us no where. The right for rapists and murderers in prison to get a vote in how our country works? Thanks EU. Lovely freedom contradiction that.

Don't know why you're complaining, they'd obviously vote Tory. It's the only party which courts the openly-evil vote.

It's political vote-buying that concerns me. Prisoners have a biased outlook that politicians could use to gain votes. They aren't in society, so why should they get a vote?

[Unchecked Expansion]

It's political vote-buying that concerns me. Prisoners have a biased outlook that politicians could use to gain votes. They aren't in society, so why should they get a vote?

Everyone has a biased outlook that politicians could use to gain votes. Prisoners are not a large enough demographic (or even a single demographic) that they could elect anyone on a 'no more police' platform, and anyone not serving a life sentence without parole will be back in society, possibly under a government they had no choice to participate in. I'm not exactly thrilled at the idea, but it's not a one sided thing

[Siorafrica]

Of course a small group will vote for more money for themselves. The poor are socialist and the rich are capitalist. That's politics. /thread

Isn't Norway socialist?

It's pretty rich too, I think.

I mean rich and poor people rather than rich and poor countries.

[Oterro]

Isn't Norway socialist?

It's pretty rich too, I think.

I mean rich and poor people rather than rich and poor countries.

Ah, okay. What about Bourgeoisie socialists?

[The Deleted Chris]

Which makes UK politicians who use the 'trade' defence dishonest. So the only real perk of the EU doesn't really exist. I like freedom, but the EU is a bit 'too' left-wing for me. Britain at the moment has to either comply with them or spend millions to explain why it doesn't agree in a legal case, and that'd get us no where. The right for rapists and murderers in prison to get a vote in how our country works? Thanks EU. Lovely freedom contradiction that.

Don't know why you're complaining, they'd obviously vote Tory. It's the only party which courts the openly-evil vote.

Dave doesn't do evil. We've all gone to UKIP.

[Lordieth]

I agree Unchecked Expansion. My problem is this;

Criminals are taken out of society and put into prison. The vast majority of government deals with society. If criminals are taken out of society because they behave and are motivated to commit criminal actions, then what right do they have to have a say in the society they are currently excluded from? It's more principle than problem to me.

I have no say. None. We have no say about being in the EU, and no say in the laws it passes.

I'm just thankful for a devolved Wales.