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Could Do Better? Grading the Performance of British MEPs

Dr Lee Rotherham

Contents

Summary 3

1. Methodology 6

2. Results 10

3. Final Scores 41

4. Conclusions 46

About the author

Dr Lee Rotherham is a graduate of the University of and holds an MPhil and PhD from the University of Birmingham. Dr Rotherham is one of the most experienced researchers on EU issues working in British politics, having been a researcher for the “Westminster Group of Eight” Eurorebels and an adviser to three successive Shadow Foreign Secretaries, a role part- based within the . This expertise led to his appointment as Chief of Staff to the Rt Hon David Heathcoat-Amory MP, British parliamentary delegate to the Convention on the Future of Europe. Dr Rotherham played a central role assisting delegates opposing the European Constitution, and the drafters of the Minority Report. A reservist with service in both Iraq and Afghanistan, he has been extensively published internationally.

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Summary

Every Briton is affected by the laws passed in , which drive everything from the introduction of bin taxes to high electricity prices. Most people though, couldn’t even name their MEP. That lack of involvement means that MEPs can too easily get away with failing to represent their constituents effectively. This report analyses British MEP activity over the last European Parliamentary session, in order to increase transparency and drive accountability, particularly ahead of the forthcoming European Parliament elections.

In the final league table:

 The highest scoring MEP is Jim Allister, elected as a Democratic Unionist but now independent.

 Two MEPs, Christopher Beazley and Den Dover, both elected as Conservatives, poll bottom with ratings of 0 per cent.

 Five parties have MEPs within the top ten.

 Of the 16 MEPs who score higher than 50 per cent, there is one Green, two UKIP, three Liberal Democrats, eight Conservatives, and two Independents.

 The parties spread right across the range of scores. The exception is Labour; the poor voting profiles of MEPs on key votes means that the highest scorer, Robert Evans, comes in at 27 th , just outside the top third.

 The top ten MEPs are as follows:

Rank Name Per Cent Party rating 1 Allister 79% IND 2 Heaton-Harris 77% CON 3 Hannan 72% CON 4 Helmer 66% CON 5 Kamall 65% CON 6 Lucas 62% GREEN 7 Clark 59% UKIP 8 Parish 59% CON 9 Tannock 59% CON 10 Watson 58% LD

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 The bottom ten MEPs are ranked as follows:

Rank Name Per Cent Party rating

=69 Nicholson 9% LD

=69 Titley 9% LAB 71 Kinnock 8% LAB

72 Howitt 4% LAB

73 Cashman 3% LAB =75 Gill 2% LAB

=75 Skinner 2% LAB 76 Hughes 1% LAB =77 Beazley 0% CON

=77 Dover 0% IND

 The worst performing leader of the four largest parties, Glenis Willmott from the Labour party, came in 63 rd and voted against her own UK party’s official policy in a crunch vote.

After laying out the various problems and advantages of different methodologies, this paper sets out a point scoring system designed to identify those representatives who have stood out from the herd:

 Ten points out of a baseline of fifty are based on European Parliamentary Questions, demonstrating how effective the MEP is in challenging the executive.

 Ten points are given for their frequency as internet hits, demonstrating campaigning and local activity.

 Ten points are available for financial transparency; five for openness to a past transparency initiative, and five for whether expenses and allowances are in the public domain today.

 Twenty points are available based on a score of key roll call votes over the lifespan of the current European Parliament, with explanations as to why each vote was important. Negative scoring is possible in this field.

 Bonus points are also added for MEPs who have declined the allure of participating in the generous second pension scheme, and deducted for those embroiled in financial scandals.

 The scores of MEPs who have not served a full term are adjusted to compensate.

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The end scores are then tallied and turned into a percentile approval rating. The final result produces a starting point for MEPs to describe and defend their track record in the run up to the MEP elections, and aims to encourage electors to elicit pledges on future conduct and priorities.

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1. Methodology

1.1 Difficulties

There are critical considerations that need to be addressed in order to find a fair way to assess how MEPs have performed. All of the measures below have serious shortcomings:

 Attendance: but MEPs can infamously sign the attendance register and then speedily leave for home. Nor does attendance automatically equate to valued action.

 Number of speeches in Chamber: this does not address the question of what constitutes a meaningful contribution, or reflect the merit of the argument. For example, five speeches supporting a corrupt Commissioner in an empty Chamber would rank higher than one calling him to account in a key debate.

 Committee activity: This may reflect an MEP becoming a part of the ’s bureaucratic machine.

 Number of European Parliamentary Questions (EPQs): Probably the single clearest way to assess an MEP’s critical ardor, although this does not reveal if he followed his discoveries up, nor the quality, variety and inventiveness of his line of pursuit.

 Overall voting record: Unfortunately, in each session there are hundreds of votes, tens of thousands over the course of a parliamentary term. There are so many that the vast majority are anonymous, preventing a broad brush analysis.1

 Roll-called votes: Probably the most reliable way of determining an MEP’s independence and, from his constituents’ viewpoint, reliability. The problem lies in determining which votes mark out the effective MEPs. Individual votes can also be missed by duties elsewhere, so bad luck may play a (small) part and a range of dates needs to be selected. A key flaw of a simple activity database is that it marks attendance and activity without qualifying it. 2 An assessment of voting pattern can at least attempt to distinguish merit from presence.

 Constituency casework: The evidence that can be used to monitor this is anecdotal at best, typically measured by volume of complaints rather than by positives.

1 Even registered votes can be recorded by being cast, as in one known case, after jamming a bread roll into a voting button and disappearing for coffee. 2 As in the recently launched www.parlorama.eu , though it does have its uses and is an advance for transparency.

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 Public engagements: This cannot be quantified without access to the MEP’s diary, though it would prove a useful addition to the attendance figure. It is also debatable as to which engagements should be counted, and what should be excluded beyond the constituency: events in the UK; non-speaking engagements; international fora; or those open just to party members.

 Number of staff: However, an absentee MEP with no staff will score better than a hard worker with three or four part time helpers. It also ignores the contentious issue of employment of the extended family.

 Office cost: Again, this would need to be somehow measured against value for money. At the moment, the figures are only in the public domain if the MEP chooses to put them there, which means the more open MEPs would be punished in our rankings for leading the way in transparency.

 Reported scandal: This excludes MEPs whose scandals are unreported, or subject to court order.

 Allowances taken: This can be a key indicator; unfortunately, it is hard to monitor and to grade. The most cost-aware MEPs are likely to be those who provide most information about their use of allowances, but their actions again cannot yet be compared like with like.

 Role: A complicating factor is how to factor in if an MEP also chairs a committee or has a position of some substance within the European Parliament. There have been known cases of chairmen voting against their own party in support of the will of the committee on which they have been serving, because their independence has been compromised by participation in the process.

 Outside interests: In some cases, these may be conflicts of interest that limit an MEP’s ability to serve their constituents. In other cases, they might actually be complementary. The best example is probably that of Dan Hannan, the MEP whose newspaper articles have contributed more to the public’s understanding of the European Parliament than political activity from most of his colleagues.

 Press coverage: An internet frequency count provides one mechanism to assess what efforts the MEP is making to reach a wider audience, rather than simply operate on behalf of a party clique. In some circumstances, this might be unduly favourable to MEPs who already have a measure of fame from outside of politics, or could include massive negative media coverage relating to a scandal. Coverage could be for reasons unassociated with simply being an active representative, such as

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defecting to another party. This method can also favour longstanding MEPs over newcomers. Nevertheless, it can capture some measure of local activity as reported in the regional press.

 Political campaigning: Again, it is difficult to measure such items as participation in referenda campaigns, participation in societies or groups, or activism on specific key issues of concern, though measuring press coverage should also capture this.

1.2 Solution

The two primary roles of an MEP are to hold the Commission to account, and to make good laws (or to stop bad ones). Key votes reviewed in some number also serve as an indicator of general attendance, another characteristic of a diligent Member. At the same time, EPQs provide some measure of behind the scenes activity and a comparison of internet coverage and publicized events provides an indication of whether an MEP is effectively working to engage with their massive constituencies.

Combine these and they provide a starting point for the public to build an understanding of how their MEPs have performed:

(a) European Parliamentary Questions (EPQs), rating based on a set level over one year. This level is set at a baseline of 50 written EPQs, as this corresponds to roughly one per week and as such is very achievable; indeed it has been achieved by several MEPs from different parties. Three MEPs vastly exceeded this figure and are to be highly commended for this, though the data obtained, although of merit, often does not seem to have been seriously exploited (and in one instance may actually lead to the British Government being fined). Oral questions we do not tally as they can be used just for grandstanding, and can reflect rewarded status and position within the EP rather than constituency interests (10/50).

(b) Internet count of “name” plus “MEP” , rated in proportion to the most reported. The baseline figure has been set at 30,000 hits, as this has been reached by 5% of the MEPs, from multiple parties. Unusual personal names, for instance accented ones or ones with variants, receive broader search latitude. This can be a measure of the activity of the individual in the constituency attending public events as reported in the local media, and in pursuing major campaigns (10/50).

(c) Financial transparency (10/50). MEPs websites are reviewed to determine if they reveal how much the Member receives in terms of five key

43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA  www.taxpayersalliance.com 8 0845 330 9554 (office hours)  07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) allowances; secretarial, office, travel, daily, and publicity. Indicating the relevant figure results in the award of one point, and this is annotated under the heading of “Finances (i)”. Under “Finances (ii)”, a further five points are available based on the published responses to letters to MEPs from the think tank Open Europe , which invited them to provide details on their financial arrangements. 3 The award in this case is based on a readiness to be transparent, or at least to discuss mechanisms to achieve it, rather than any analysis of the responses or detailed proof of probity. The two figures together create a figure out of ten that combines principle with action. It is not enough to simply indicate that an accountant has certified that the office allowance has been spent within the rules, if so doing conceals whether there has been value for money, or indeed covers up abuses where the existing rules are too lax.

These three sets of figures are collated on the same table, 2.1.1, and followed by a calculation (in tables 2.1.2 and 2.1.3) to compensate late entry MEPs for their partial records.

(d) An analysis of 20 targeted roll call votes follows (20/50 points). These are selected on the basis of set issues:

 Transparency

 Anti-corruption

 Red tape

 Spending management

 MPs openly challenging the votes of their party’s MEPs

A far more satisfactory way to study MEPs’ voting patterns would be a massive review of large numbers of votes, but this would first require every roll call vote to be much more easily accessible. A happy and very recent development is the publication, by Dr Simon Hix of the LSE, of the collated roll call votes over the current parliament into something that is at least easily readable, though inevitably still requiring some inside knowledge to fully explore.4

We recognize our mathematical solution is not perfect, but we hope it provides a starting point from which constituents can challenge their region’s MEPs to defend their own track records and explain the role that they perform on behalf of their constituents.

3 http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/bulletin.aspx?bulletinid=71 . Five points for full answers, less one for each of 3, 4, 5 and 6 not addressed. 4 http://www.votewatch.eu/

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2. Results

The following are for sitting British MEPs:

Jim Allister; Richard Ashworth; Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Atkins; Elspeth Attwooll; ; Christopher Beazley; ; John Bowis OBE; Sharon Bowles* (12 MAY 05); Philip Bradbourn OBE; Bairbre de Brún; Philip Bushill-Matthews; Martin Callanan; Michael Cashman; Giles Chichester; ; * (1 OCT 08); ; Chris Davies; Nirj Deva DL; Den Dover; Andrew Duff; James Elles; Jill Evans; Jonathan Evans; Robert Evans; ; Glyn Ford; Neena Gill; Fiona Hall; ; Malcolm Harbour; Chris Heaton-Harris; ; Mary Honeyball; Richard Howitt; Ian Hudghton; Stephen Hughes; Dr Caroline Jackson; Syed Kamall* (12 MAY 05); Sajjad Karim; Robert Kilroy-Silk; Glenys Kinnock; ; ; Jean Lambert; ; Baroness Ludford; Liz Lynne; David Martin; Linda McAvan; Arlene McCarthy; Edward McMillan-Scott; Claude Moraes; Eluned Morgan; ; ; Bill Newton-Dunn; Baroness (Emma) Nicholson; James Nicholson; Neil Parish; John Purvis CBE; Brian Simpson* (28 AUG 06); Peter Skinner; Alyn Smith; Struan Stevenson; Catherine Stihler; Robert Sturdy; David Sumberg; Dr Charles Tannock; ; Gary Titley; MBE; Diana Wallis; Graham Watson; Glenis Willmott* (1 JAN 06); John Whittaker; .

An asterisk indicates that he or she became an MEP on the given date, replacing a previous incumbent. Their stats receive compensatory adjustments.

MEPs are awarded the following points for the first three categories, as explained above:

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Table 2.1: Number of EPQs for 2008, Internet Frequency, and Financial Transparency; with Resultant Scoring in Dark Green

Name EPQs Net hits Finances Number Score Number Score (i) (ii) Allister 49 10 9,390 3 5 5 Ashworth 0 0 19,600 7 0 5 Atkins 2 0 2,800 1 0 0 Attwooll 1 0 6,730 2 4 0 Batten 2 0 8,430 3 0 2 Beazley 2 0 3,940 1 0 0 Bloom 34 7 5,280 2 0 5 Bowis 11 2 13,200 4 3 0 Bowles* 4 1 7,290 2 4 5 Bradbourn 13 3 3,090 1 3 4 de Brún 6 1 7,120 2 0 0 Bushill-Matthews 3 1 7,110 2 3 4 Callanan 11 2 6,170 2 3 5 Cashman 11 2 9,450 3 0 0 Chichester 4 1 9,620 3 3 5 Clark 3 1 1,430 0 0 5 Colman* 0 0 3,130 1 0 - Corbett 18 4 28,400 9 2 0 Davies 39 8 30,800 10 3 5 Deva 10 2 6,570 2 3 5 Dover 0 0 3,260 1 0 0 Duff 6 1 26,100 9 4 0 Elles 0 0 5,860 2 3 0 Evans, Jill 9 2 10,500 4 0 0 Evans, Jonathan 0 0 3,980 1 3 5 Evans, R 44 9 6,580 2 0 5 Farage 5 1 21,700 7 0 5 Ford 31 6 6,140 2 0 3 Gill 7 1 3,880 1 0 0 Hall 21 4 12,100 4 4 0 Hannan 10 2 35,600 5 10 3 5 Harbour 2 0 13,400 4 3 0 Heaton-Harris 50 10 9,330 3 3 5 Helmer 25 5 24,700 7 4 3 Honeyball 5 1 13,300 4 0 5 Howitt 8 2 7,300 2 0 0 Hudghton 0 0 3,450 1 0 0 Hughes 9 2 4,160 1 0 0 Jackson 8 2 7,710 3 3 0

5 Counted before the hit YouTube coverage of his speech during the Prime Minister’s visit

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Name EPQs Net hits Finances Number Score Number Score (i) (ii) Kamall* 39 8 7,720 3 3 5 Karim 30 6 31,400 6 5 3 5 Kilroy-Silk 642 10 6,590 2 0 0 Kinnock 16 3 8,960 3 0 0 Kirkhope 1 0 10,300 3 3 0 Knapman 0 0 4,530 1 0 0 Lambert 17 3 17,700 6 0 5 Lucas 24 5 36,200 10 0 5 Ludford 55 10 21,800 7 1 0 Lynne 10 2 14,300 5 4 0 Martin 54 10 5,750 2 0 3 McAvan 6 1 5,530 2 0 0 McCarthy 4 1 6,990 2 0 3 McMillan-Scott 3 1 32,700 10 3 2 Moraes 33 7 6,750 2 0 5 Morgan 8 2 4,330 1 0 0 Mote 127 10 9,330 3 0 5 Nattrass 0 0 3,410 1 0 0 Newton-Dunn 23 5 12,500 4 0 0 Nicholson, Bnss 13 3 4,030 1 0 0 Nicholson 9 2 3,450 1 0 0 Parish 38 8 12,500 4 3 5 Purvis 2 0 4,850 2 3 0 Simpson* 34 7 2,960 1 2 0 Skinner 4 1 3,970 1 0 0 Smith 27 5 5,370 2 1 0 Stevenson 11 2 9,920 3 3 0 Stihler 84 10 5,500 2 0 0 Sturdy 10 2 9,040 3 3 0 Sumberg 4 1 1,870 1 3 2 Tannock 45 9 10,400 3 3 5 Titford 3 1 3,720 1 0 5 Titley 15 3 6,740 2 0 0 Van Orden 5 1 9,700 3 3 5 Wallis 44 9 15,300 5 3 3 Watson 174 10 45,100 10 3 5 Willmott* 26 5 12,200 4 0 0 Whittaker 0 0 2,240 1 0 5 Wise 2 0 4,890 2 0 5

6 This figure is greatly elevated because of the MEP’s political defection. There are 771 internet references without mention of the defection; a default 5 is awarded.

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However, we recognize that 5 MEPs (asterisked) are replacements and have not served a full term. In order to be as fair as possible, we compensate for this by;

 Amending their internet scores based on actual time served.

 Counting EPQs on the basis of a period of time actually present. 7

 Substantial benefit of the doubt in awarding five points by default to the one individual who was not present to receive the transparency letter, and 3 points default over the publication of allowances (set at this level owing to a current lack of commentary or indication of intent).

Table 2.2: Amendments

MEP Time served, per cent of total term, Differential nearest five percentiles Sharon Bowles 80% X 1.25 Trevor Colman 15% X 7 Syed Kamall 80% X 1.25 Brian Simpson 55% X 1.8 Glenis Willmott 70% X 1.4

Table 2.3: Five New MEPs’ Amended Scores

MEP New Score New Net Score Finances (ii) EPQ (i) Sharon Bowles N/A 1 9,112 3 4 (N/A) 5 (N/A) Trevor Colman 0 0 21,910 8 7 3 5 Syed Kamall N/A 8 9,650 3 3 (N/A) 5 (N/A) Brian Simpson N/A 7 5,328 2 2 (N/A) 0 (N/A) Glenis Willmott N/A 5 17,080 6 0 (N/A) 0 (N/A)

N/A – particular tally not affected by late arrival as an MEP

7 Which still equates to a zero rating 8 An unnaturally high tally given that many hits stem from the actual change in MEPs, but some compensation for the MEP not having had time to master the EPQ system

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2.2 The Roll Call Votes

Scoring here is designed to recognize the independently-minded rather than the ambitious, the autocratic, or the whip fodder. It operates as follows;

1 point for voting as indicated in the description of the individual vote. In a number of cases, this will be against the proposal on the table.

½ point for electronically signaling an abstention. This may indicate a caveat preventing a vote in favour based on a debatable detail tucked away in some clause, or can sometimes be a sign of a partial revolt against the whips. (It could alternatively be a thought-free mechanism for gaining expenses, however, as MEPs have to vote in half of the roll call votes to get full pay.)

0 points for not voting, or being absent from the vote.

-½ point for voting contrary to the highlighted way.

Individuals who were not MEPs at the time of the vote are annotated but their vote is not second guessed, so they neither gain nor lose marks.

The peculiarity of the system allows MEPs to change their votes after the event, providing such a move does not actually change the result of the vote. Given the occasional problems demonstrated both by the electrics and by such a rapid flow of unexplained motions and amendments (sometimes outpacing the interpreters), we use the final published edition of the list.

1 MEP Gravy Train Reform 12 April 2005 The annual budget review provided an opportunity for MEPs to put their own house in order. Reforms proposed the replacement of blank cheques for MEP travel with payment for receipts, an audit of MEP second pensions, reform of the sanctions system for fraudsters, and an end to the Strasbourg commute. One point is awarded for the final vote, challenging the status quo. Supported Abstained Opposed Absent or no vote Batten (UKIP) Allister (IND) Attwooll (LD) Atkins (CON) Bloom (UKIP) Ashworth (CON) de Brún (SF) Chichester (CON) Callanan (CON) Beazley (CON) Cashman (LAB) Deva (CON) Clark (UKIP) Bowis (CON) Corbett (LAB) Evans, Jill (PC) Farage (UKIP) Bradbourn (CON) Davies (LD) Evans, Jonathan Hannan (CON) Bushill-Matthews Ford (LAB) (CON) Heaton-Harris (CON) (CON) Gill (LAB) Evans, R (LAB) Helmer (CON) Dover (IND) Hall (LD) Hudghton (SNP) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Duff (LD) Honeyball (LAB) Knapman (UKIP) Mote (IND) Elles (CON) Howitt (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) Nattrass (UKIP) Harbour (CON) Hughes (LAB) Sumberg (CON) Wise (IND) Jackson (CON) Karim (CON) Titford (UKIP)

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Kirkhope (CON) Kinnock (LAB) Whittaker (UKIP) McMillan-Scott (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Nicholson (UUP) Lucas (GREEN) Parish (CON) Ludford (LD) Purvis (CON) Lynne (LD) Stevenson (CON) Martin (LAB) Stihler (LAB) McAvan (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Moraes (LAB) Tannock (CON) Morgan (LAB) Van Orden (CON) Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Skinner (LAB) Smith (SNP) Titley (LAB) Wallis (LD) Watson (LD)

2 Motion of Censure against Barroso 9 May 2005 Commission President Barroso had demonstrated a possible conflict of interests over his connections with a multi-billionaire steel magnate. A motion was proposed to call him to the European Parliament to rebut the public allegations. This triggered a backlash from within the party structures (particularly the EPP), with a number of MEPs ordered to withdraw their names from the motion and not vote any way on it. A vote in favour of the motion, to change the week’s agenda and require Barroso to defend himself from the allegations, gains one point. Supported Abstained Opposed Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Sumberg (CON) de Brún (SF) Ashworth (CON) Batten (UKIP) Gill (LAB) Atkins (CON) Clark (UKIP) Kinnock (LAB) Attwooll (LD) Farage (UKIP) Lambert (GREEN) Beazley (CON) Heaton-Harris (CON) Morgan (LAB) Bloom (UKIP) Helmer (CON) Titley (LAB) Bowis (CON) Knapman (UKIP) Watson (LD) Bradbourn (CON) Mote (IND) Bushill-Matthews Nattrass (UKIP) (CON) Wise (IND) Callanan (CON) Cashman (LAB) Chichester (CON) Corbett (LAB) Davies (LD) Deva (CON) Dover (IND) Duff (LD) Elles (CON) Evans, Jill (PC) Evans, Jonathan (CON) Evans, R (LAB) Ford (LAB)

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Hall (LD) Hannan (CON) Harbour (CON) Honeyball (LAB) Howitt (LAB) Hudghton (SNP) Hughes (LAB) Jackson (CON) Karim (CON) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Kirkhope (CON) Lucas (GREEN) Ludford (LD) Lynne (LD) Martin (LAB) McAvan (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) McMillan-Scott (CON) Moraes (LAB) Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Nicholson (UUP) Parish (CON) Purvis (CON) Skinner (LAB) Smith (SNP) Stevenson (CON) Stihler (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Tannock (CON) Titford (UKIP) Van Orden (CON) Wallis (LD) Whittaker (UKIP)

3 Citizens For Europe Programme 5 April 2006 This report provides for large amounts of money to go towards pro-EU cheerleaders and lobbyists such as the Jean Monnet Association, the Robert Schuman European Centre and the Maisons de l'Europe, as well as high-profile events organised by or with the . The report endorses that some £20 million a year should be spent on such activity over a six year timeframe. A vote against “making people fully aware of their European citizenship”, in a shockingly open attempt to affect the outcome of referenda by means of propaganda, merits one point. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Allister (IND) de Brún (SF) Attwooll (LD) Atkins (CON) Ashworth (CON) Lucas (GREEN) Beazley (CON) Bloom (UKIP) Batten (UKIP) Bowles (LD) Bowis (CON) Bradbourn (CON) Cashman (LAB) Chichester (CON) Bushill-Matthews Corbett (LAB) Elles (CON) (CON) Davies (LD) Ford (LAB)

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Callanan (CON) Evans, Jill (PC) Hudghton (SNP) Clark (UKIP) Evans, R (LAB) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Deva (CON) Gill (LAB) Smith (SNP) Dover (IND) Hall (LD) Stihler (LAB) Duff (LD) Honeyball (LAB) Whittaker (UKIP) Evans, Jonathan Howitt (LAB) (CON) Hughes (LAB) Farage (UKIP) Karim (CON) Hannan (CON) Kinnock (LAB) Harbour (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Heaton-Harris (CON) Ludford (LD) Helmer (CON) Lynne (LD) Jackson (CON) Martin (LAB) Kamall (CON) McAvan (LAB) Kirkhope (CON) McCarthy (LAB) Knapman (UKIP) Moraes (LAB) McMillan-Scott (CON) Morgan (LAB) Mote (IND) Newton-Dunn (LD) Nattrass (UKIP) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Nicholson (UUP) Skinner (LAB) Parish (CON) Titley (LAB) Purvis (CON) Wallis (LD) Stevenson (CON) Watson (LD) Sturdy (CON) Willmott (LAB) Sumberg (CON) Tannock (CON) Titford (UKIP) Van Orden (CON) Wise (IND)

Beazley Report on School Curricula and the 4 26 September 2006 European Dimension This supports an enhanced European presence in education - in other words, that schools should become politically involved in encouraging support amongst schoolchildren for the EU. One point awarded for standing up against political bias in the classrooms. 29 British MEPs did not (one being the author). Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Ashworth (CON) Attwooll (LD) Batten (UKIP) Callanan (CON) Atkins (CON) Beazley (CON) Bloom (UKIP) Clark (UKIP) Bradbourn (CON) Bowis (CON) Cashman (LAB) Farage (UKIP) Bushill-Matthews Bowles (LD) Chichester (CON) Hannan (CON) (CON) de Brún (SF) Corbett (LAB) Heaton-Harris (CON) Dover (IND) Davies (LD) Deva (CON) Helmer (CON) Elles (CON) Duff (LD) Evans, R (LAB) Kamall (CON) Evans, Jonathan Evans, Jill (PC) Ford (LAB) Kilroy-Silk (IND) (CON) Hall (LD) Gill (LAB) Mote (IND) Harbour (CON) Hudghton (SNP) Honeyball (LAB) Titford (UKIP) Nicholson (UUP) Hughes (LAB) Howitt (LAB) Whittaker (UKIP) Parish (CON) Karim (CON) Jackson (CON) Wise (IND) Tannock (CON) Kirkhope (CON) Kinnock (LAB)

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Van Orden (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Knapman (UKIP) Lucas (GREEN) McCarthy (LAB) Ludford (LD) McMillan-Scott (CON) Lynne (LD) Moraes (LAB) Martin (LAB) Morgan (LAB) McAvan (LAB) Nattrass (UKIP) Newton-Dunn (LD) Skinner (LAB) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Stihler (LAB) Purvis (CON) Sumberg (CON) Simpson (LAB) Titley (LAB) Smith (SNP) Stevenson (CON) Sturdy (CON) Wallis (LD) Watson (LD) Willmott (LAB)

5 Annual Report on the Central European Bank 26 October 2006 This report features the statement that MEPs “support the introduction of the Euro by all the member states” and encourages governments to set in place without delay the fulfillment of all the criteria to join the Single Currency (paragraph 9). Leaving aside the issue of interpreting whether it is in the UK national interest to join, there is no reference to popular mandate. 9 MEPs were heavily whipped by the groups. One point for standing up for democracy and the economic interest. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Batten (UKIP) Corbett (LAB) Ashworth (CON) Allister (IND) Callanan (CON) Smith (SNP) Beazley (CON) Atkins (CON) Clark (UKIP) Titley (LAB) Bowis (CON) Attwooll (LD) Evans, Jill (PC) Duff (LD) Bloom (UKIP) Hannan (CON) Ford (LAB) Bowles (LD) Heaton-Harris (CON) Harbour (CON) Bradbourn (CON) Kamall (CON) Honeyball (LAB) de Brún (SF) Lambert (GREEN) Kirkhope (CON) Bushill-Matthews Lynne (LD) (CON) Newton-Dunn (LD) Cashman (LAB) Parish (CON) Chichester (CON) Purvis (CON) Davies (LD) Stevenson (CON) Deva (CON) Wallis (LD) Dover (IND) Elles (CON) Evans, Jonathan (CON) Evans, R (LAB) Farage (UKIP) Gill (LAB) Hall (LD) Helmer (CON)

9 As a taster of the content, it also blamed the sterile designs on the bank notes for the Euro’s unpopularity (paragraph 25)

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Howitt (LAB) Hudghton (SNP) Hughes (LAB) Jackson (CON) Karim (CON) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Kinnock (LAB) Knapman (UKIP) Lucas (GREEN) Ludford (LD) Martin (LAB) McAvan (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) McMillan-Scott (CON) Moraes (LAB) Morgan (LAB) Mote (IND) Nattrass (UKIP) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Nicholson (UUP) Simpson (LAB) Skinner (LAB) Stihler (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Sumberg (CON) Tannock (CON) Titford (UKIP) Van Orden (CON) Watson (LD) Willmott (LAB) Whittaker (UKIP) Wise (IND)

6 Rules changed to block filibuster 31 January 2008 Opponents of the Lisbon Treaty used the procedural rules to slightly delay the passage of the EP’s ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, as a one-off protest at the way in which No votes in referenda were being suppressed. In reaction, the pro-integration lobby decided on a shameful ad hoc change of the rules to suppress this legal opposition. A vote against the motion, to retain the existing rules rather than change them ad hoc to stifle dissent, means an award of one point. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Allister (IND) McMillan-Scott (CON) Ashworth (CON) Beazley (CON) Batten (UKIP) Nicholson (UUP) Atkins (CON) Bushill-Matthews Bloom (UKIP) Attwooll (LD) (CON) de Brún (SF) Bowis (CON) Chichester (CON) Callanan (CON) Bowles (LD) Elles (CON) Clark (UKIP) Bradbourn (CON) Evans, Jonathan Deva (CON) Cashman (LAB) (CON) Farage (UKIP) Corbett (LAB) Harbour (CON) Hannan (CON) Davies (LD) Kirkhope (CON)

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Heaton-Harris (CON) Dover (IND) Lambert (GREEN) Helmer (CON) Duff (LD) McCarthy (LAB) Kamall (CON) Evans, Jill (PC) Morgan (LAB) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Evans, R (LAB) Parish (CON) Knapman (UKIP) Ford (LAB) Stevenson (CON) Mote (IND) Gill (LAB) Titley (LAB) Nattrass (UKIP) Hall (LD) Whittaker (UKIP) Smith (SNP) Honeyball (LAB) Sumberg (CON) Howitt (LAB) Titford (UKIP) Hudghton (SNP) Van Orden (CON) Hughes (LAB) Wise (IND) Jackson (CON) Karim (CON) Kinnock (LAB) Lucas (GREEN) Ludford (LD) Lynne (LD) Martin (LAB) McAvan (LAB) Moraes (LAB) Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Purvis (CON) Simpson (LAB) Skinner (LAB) Stihler (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Tannock (CON) Wallis (LD) Watson (LD) Willmott (LAB)

7 Mendez de Vigo/Corbett Report, Amendment 32 20 February 2008 MEPs resolved to approve the Lisbon Treaty on 20 February 2008, notwithstanding three rejections in popular referenda. Of significant interest is the very narrow focus of Amendment 32, inviting the European Parliament to respect the result of the Irish referendum. A vote in favour of this amendment, acknowledging the will of the popular vote rather than aspirations of ever-closer union, means an award of one point. 32 British MEPs voted against. Supported Abstained Opposed Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Ashworth (CON) Atkins (CON) Bloom (UKIP) Batten (UKIP) Bowis (CON) Attwooll (LD) Clark (UKIP) de Brún (SF) Bradbourn (CON) Beazley (CON) Elles (CON) Deva (CON) Bushill-Matthews Bowles (LD) Evans, R (LAB) Evans, Jill (PC) (CON) Cashman (LAB) Heaton-Harris (CON) Farage (UKIP) Callanan (CON) Corbett (LAB) Kamall (CON) Hannan (CON) Chichester (CON) Davies (LD) Karim (CON) Hudghton (SNP) Dover (IND) Duff (LD) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Knapman (UKIP) Evans, Jonathan Ford (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) Lucas (GREEN) (CON) Gill (LAB) Nicholson, Bnss (LD)

43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA  www.taxpayersalliance.com 20 0845 330 9554 (office hours)  07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours)

Mote (IND) Harbour (CON) Hall (LD) Whittaker (UKIP) Nattrass (UKIP) Helmer (CON) Honeyball (LAB) Smith (SNP) Jackson (CON) Howitt (LAB) Titford (UKIP) Kirkhope (CON) Hughes (LAB) Van Orden (CON) McMillan-Scott (CON) Kinnock (LAB) Wise (IND) Parish (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Stevenson (CON) Ludford (LD) Sturdy (CON) Lynne (LD) Sumberg (CON) Martin (LAB) Tannock (CON) McAvan (LAB) Moraes (LAB) Morgan (LAB) Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson (UUP) Purvis (CON) Simpson (LAB) Skinner (LAB) Stihler (LAB) Titley (LAB) Wallis (LD) Watson (LD) Willmott (LAB)

8 Mendez de Vigo/Corbett Resolution 20 February 2008 MEPs resolved to approve the Lisbon Treaty on 20 February 2008, notwithstanding three rejections in popular referenda. The President of the European Parliament from his chair denigrated protesting critics by claiming that “your parents would be ashamed to see you like this.” 115 MEPs in total voted against the main motion, and 525 were in favour. One point for being in the minority. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Hudghton (SNP) Attwooll (LD) Elles (CON) Ashworth (CON) Jackson (CON) Beazley (CON) Evans, R (LAB) Atkins (CON) Bowles (LD) Heaton-Harris (CON) Batten (UKIP) Cashman (LAB) Jackson (CON) Bloom (UKIP) Corbett (LAB) Kamall (CON) Bowis (CON) Davies (LD) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Bradbourn (CON) Duff (LD) McCarthy (LAB) de Brún (SF) Evans, Jill (PC) McMillan-Scott (CON) Bushill-Matthews Ford (LAB) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) (CON) Gill (LAB) Callanan (CON) Hall (LD) Chichester (CON) Honeyball (LAB) Clark (UKIP) Howitt (LAB) Deva (CON) Hughes (LAB) Dover (IND) Karim (CON) Evans, Jonathan Kinnock (LAB) (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Farage (UKIP) Ludford (LD) Hannan (CON) Lynne (LD)

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Harbour (CON) Martin (LAB) Helmer (CON) McAvan (LAB) Kirkhope (CON) Moraes (LAB) Knapman (UKIP) Morgan (LAB) Lucas (GREEN) Newton-Dunn (LD) Mote (IND) Simpson (LAB) Nattrass (UKIP) Stihler (LAB) Nicholson (UUP) Titley (LAB) Parish (CON) Wallis (LD) Purvis (CON) Watson (LD) Skinner (LAB) Willmott (LAB) Smith (SNP) Stevenson (CON) Sturdy (CON) Sumberg (CON) Tannock (CON) Titford (UKIP) Van Orden (CON) Whittaker (UKIP) Wise (IND)

9 Pomes Ruiz Report 22 April 2008 This report featured as part of the general signing off of the annual budget. It dealt specifically with the European Parliament’s expenditure. A vote in favour of amendment 2, seeking greater transparency and accountability for MEPs’ expenses, means an award of one point. It was a proposal to make the audits of MEPs expenses public (the present one has since leaked). Supported Abstained Opposed Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Ashworth (CON) Beazley (CON) Batten (UKIP) Attwooll (LD) Atkins (CON) Cashman (LAB) Bloom (UKIP) Bowles (LD) Bowis (CON) Gill (LAB) de Brún (SF) Clark (UKIP) Bradbourn (CON) Hannan (CON) Corbett (LAB) Davies (LD) Bushill-Matthews Honeyball (LAB) Evans, R (LAB) Duff (LD) (CON) Howitt (LAB) Farage (UKIP) Evans, Jill (PC) Callanan (CON) Hughes (LAB) Ford (LAB) Hall (LD) Chichester (CON) Kinnock (LAB) Jackson (CON) Hudghton (SNP) Deva (CON) Martin (LAB) Ludford (LD) Knapman (UKIP) Dover (IND) McAvan (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) Lambert (GREEN) Elles (CON) Moraes (LAB) Smith (SNP) Lucas (GREEN) Evans, Jonathan Morgan (LAB) Whittaker (UKIP) Lynne (LD) (CON) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Nattrass (UKIP) Harbour (CON) Simpson (LAB) Newton-Dunn (LD) Heaton-Harris (CON) Skinner (LAB) Titford (UKIP) Helmer (CON) Stihler (LAB) Wallis (LD) Kamall (CON) Titley (LAB) Watson (LD) Karim (CON) Willmott (LAB) Wise (IND) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Kirkhope (CON) McMillan-Scott (CON) Mote (IND)

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Nicholson (UUP) Parish (CON) Purvis (CON) Stevenson (CON) Sturdy (CON) Sumberg (CON) Tannock (CON) Van Orden (CON)

10 Galileo 23 April 2008 This system was designed to duplicate existing satnav technology; a flagship project whose sole justifiable raison d’être is to give the EU (and its Chinese partners) independent geo- spatial positioning capability if it ever went to war with America. One point for voting against this massive drain on the taxpayer, from a period where the flaws had already become public knowledge. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Lambert (GREEN) Atkins (CON) Ashworth (CON) Bradbourn (CON) Lucas (GREEN) Attwooll (LD) Batten (UKIP) Callanan (CON) Van Orden (CON) Beazley (CON) Bloom (UKIP) Clark (UKIP) Bowis (CON) de Brún (SF) Farage (UKIP) Bowles (LD) Deva (CON) Hannan (CON) Bushill-Matthews Evans, Jonathan Heaton-Harris (CON) (CON) (CON) Helmer (CON) Cashman (LAB) Ford (LAB) Kamall (CON) Chichester (CON) Hudghton (SNP) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Corbett (LAB) Jackson (CON) Knapman (UKIP) Davies (LD) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Mote (IND) Dover (IND) Smith (SNP) Nattrass (UKIP) Duff (LD) Wallis (LD) Sumberg (CON) Elles (CON) Whittaker (UKIP) Titford (UKIP) Evans, Jill (PC) Wise (IND) Evans, R (LAB) Gill (LAB) Hall (LD) Harbour (CON) Honeyball (LAB) Howitt (LAB) Hughes (LAB) Karim (CON) Kinnock (LAB) Kirkhope (CON) Ludford (LD) Lynne (LD) Martin (LAB) McAvan (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) McMillan-Scott (CON) Moraes (LAB) Morgan (LAB)

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Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson (UUP) Parish (CON) Purvis (CON) Simpson (LAB) Skinner (LAB) Stevenson (CON) Stihler (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Tannock (CON) Titley (LAB) Watson (LD) Willmott (LAB)

11 Final vote on signing off the 2006 budget 24 April 2008

The Court of Auditors refused to sign off the accounts. This measure effectively endorsed the accounts as far as MEPs were concerned. While it did add some riders for improving standards in the future, the report also encouraged the maximum use of all assigned budget expenditure rather than returning unused money to the taxpayer. A vote against this motion garners one point, for refusing to endorse fraud and mismanagement. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Clark (UKIP) Allister (IND) Attwooll (LD) Atkins (CON) Mote (IND) Ashworth (CON) Bowles (LD) Batten (UKIP) Nattrass (UKIP) Bowis (CON) Cashman (LAB) Beazley (CON) Wise (IND) Bradbourn (CON) Corbett (LAB) Bloom (UKIP) Bushill-Matthews Davies (LD) de Brún (SF) (CON) Duff (LD) Callanan (CON) Chichester (CON) Evans, Jill (PC) Evans, Jonathan Deva (CON) Evans, R (LAB) (CON) Dover (IND) Gill (LAB) Farage (UKIP) Elles (CON) Hall (LD) Ford (LAB) Hannan (CON) Honeyball (LAB) Helmer (CON) Harbour (CON) Howitt (LAB) Hudghton (SNP) Heaton-Harris (CON) Hughes (LAB) Jackson (CON) Kamall (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Karim (CON) Ludford (LD) Kinnock (LAB) Lucas (GREEN) Lynne (LD) Kirkhope (CON) Purvis (CON) Martin (LAB) Knapman (UKIP) Stevenson (CON) McAvan (LAB) McMillan-Scott (CON) Tannock (CON) McCarthy (LAB) Nattrass (UKIP) Van Orden (CON) Moraes (LAB) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Morgan (LAB) Nicholson (UUP) Newton-Dunn (LD) Parish (CON) Simpson (LAB) Smith (SNP) Skinner (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Stihler (LAB) Sumberg (CON) Titley (LAB) Titford (UKIP) Watson (LD) Wallis (LD) Willmott (LAB) Whittaker (UKIP)

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12 Tobacco Subsidy 20 May 2008 MEPs voted to increase the amount and duration of EU public subsidy to tobacco farmers than recommended by the Commission. This means that more public money is wasted on supporting farmers growing substandard and unhealthy crops, while public money is also spent advising people not to smoke it. One point for voting against an increase in taxpayer subsidies. Supported Abstained Opposed Absent or no vote Ashworth (CON) Allister (IND) Beazley (CON) Bloom (UKIP) Atkins (CON) Hannan (CON) Cashman (LAB) Attwooll (LD) Sumberg (CON) Deva (CON) Batten (UKIP) Evans, Jill (PC) Bowis (CON) Farage (UKIP) Bowles (LD) Ford (LAB) Bradbourn (CON) Jackson (CON) de Brún (SF) Karim (CON) Bushill-Matthews Kirkhope (CON) (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Callanan (CON) Ludford (LD) Chichester (CON) McMillan-Scott (CON) Clark (UKIP) Nattrass (UKIP) Corbett (LAB) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Davies (LD) Van Orden (CON) Dover (IND) Duff (LD) Elles (CON) Evans, Jonathan (CON) Evans, R (LAB) Gill (LAB) Hall (LD) Harbour (CON) Heaton-Harris (CON) Helmer (CON) Honeyball (LAB) Howitt (LAB) Hudghton (SNP) Hughes (LAB) Kamall (CON) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Kinnock (LAB) Knapman (UKIP) Lucas (GREEN) Lynne (LD) Martin (LAB) McAvan (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) Moraes (LAB) Morgan (LAB) Mote (IND)

43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA  www.taxpayersalliance.com 25 0845 330 9554 (office hours)  07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours)

Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson (UUP) Parish (CON) Purvis (CON) Simpson (LAB) Skinner (LAB) Smith (SNP) Stevenson (CON) Stihler (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Tannock (CON) Titford (UKIP) Titley (LAB) Wallis (LD) Watson (LD) Willmott (LAB) Whittaker (UKIP) Wise (IND)

13 Lewandowski Report 20 May 2008 This report, on the European Parliament budget estimates for 2009, proposed 65 new administrative posts and a “Lisbon reserve” of €2 million to help the Parliament implement the Lisbon Treaty, despite the failed referenda. It also approved a “buildings reserve” of €30,000,000 - an increase of €10,000,000 compared to 2008, allowing for the acquisition of yet more premises in Brussels and Strasbourg. A vote against gains one point. 31 British MEPs backed the funding. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Batten (UKIP) Allister (IND) Attwooll (LD) Bloom (UKIP) Clark (UKIP) Ashworth (CON) Beazley (CON) Davies (LD) Hannan (CON) Atkins (CON) Bowles (LD) Deva (CON) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Bowis (CON) Cashman (LAB) Evans, Jill (PC) Knapman (UKIP) Bradbourn (CON) Corbett (LAB) Farage (UKIP) Mote (IND) de Brún (SF) Duff (LD) Heaton-Harris (CON) Titford (UKIP) Bushill-Matthews Evans, R (LAB) Jackson (CON) Whittaker (UKIP) (CON) Ford (LAB) Karim (CON) Wise (IND) Callanan (CON) Gill (LAB) Ludford (LD) Chichester (CON) Hall (LD) McCarthy (LAB) Dover (IND) Honeyball (LAB) Nattrass (UKIP) Elles (CON) Howitt (LAB) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Evans, Jonathan Hudghton (SNP) Nicholson (UUP) (CON) Hughes (LAB) Van Orden (CON) Harbour (CON) Kinnock (LAB) Helmer (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Kamall (CON) Lucas (GREEN) Kirkhope (CON) Lynne (LD) McMillan-Scott (CON) Martin (LAB) Parish (CON) McAvan (LAB) Purvis (CON) Moraes (LAB) Stevenson (CON) Morgan (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Newton-Dunn (LD)

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Sumberg (CON) Simpson (LAB) Tannock (CON) Skinner (LAB) Smith (SNP) Stihler (LAB) Titley (LAB) Wallis (LD) Watson (LD) Willmott (LAB)

14 Convicted Commissioner 18 June 2008 MEPs voted to endorse Jacques Barrot as Commissioner for Justice. Barrot received an amnesty from French President Jacques Chirac in relation to a charge of embezzling party funds, which had led to a suspended sentence and the suppression of the sentence from media scrutiny. A vote against the appointment leads to the award of one point. 41 British MEPs did not see it as an obstacle. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Hannan (CON) Ashworth (CON) Callanan (CON) Batten (UKIP) Heaton-Harris (CON) Atkins (CON) Deva (CON) Bloom (UKIP) Helmer (CON) Attwooll (LD) Dover (IND) Clark (UKIP) Beazley (CON) Elles (CON) Farage (UKIP) Bowis (CON) Evans, R (LAB) Mote (IND) Bowles (LD) Ford (LAB) Nattrass (UKIP) Bradbourn (CON) Honeyball (LAB) Titford (UKIP) de Brún (SF) Howitt (LAB) Whittaker (UKIP) Bushill-Matthews Hudghton (SNP) Wise (IND) (CON) Kamall (CON) Cashman (LAB) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Chichester (CON) Kinnock (LAB) Corbett (LAB) Knapman (UKIP) Davies (LD) Lambert (GREEN) Duff (LD) Ludford (LD) Evans, Jill (PC) Martin (LAB) Evans, Jonathan McAvan (LAB) (CON) McMillan-Scott (CON) Gill (LAB) Morgan (LAB) Hall (LD) Nicholson (UUP) Harbour (CON) Parish (CON) Hughes (LAB) Stevenson (CON) Jackson (CON) Van Orden (CON) Karim (CON) Kirkhope (CON) Lucas (GREEN) Lynne (LD) McCarthy (LAB) Moraes (LAB) Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Purvis (CON) Simpson (LAB)

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Skinner (LAB) Smith (SNP) Stihler (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Sumberg (CON) Tannock (CON) Titley (LAB) Wallis (LD) Watson (LD) Willmott (LAB)

Corbett Report on the Formation of European 15 9 July 2008 Political Groups Changes were made to the rules making it more difficult for small political parties to get together to form political groups. The new system discourages political diversity by raising the qualifying threshold, already difficult for protest parties and Euro-critical ones, and underpinning the monopoly of the large political bodies. Recognized groups profit from more money, speaking time and privileges. The proposal (amending Rule 29) was furthermore submitted to the plenary in a greatly amended form without further review, a breach of the rules. A vote against the report means the award of one point. 20 British MEPs endorsed the changes (one being the author). Two Conservative MEPs did so, despite official party policy to create one such new group. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Elles (CON) Beazley (CON) Bloom (UKIP) Ashworth (CON) Evans, Jill (PC) Cashman (LAB) de Brún (SF) Atkins (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Corbett (LAB) Chichester (CON) Attwooll (LD) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Evans, R (LAB) Evans, Jonathan Batten (UKIP) Purvis (CON) Ford (LAB) (CON) Bowis (CON) Wise (IND) Gill (LAB) Hudghton (SNP) Bowles (LD) Honeyball (LAB) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Bradbourn (CON) Howitt (LAB) Morgan (LAB) Bushill-Matthews Hughes (LAB) Nattrass (UKIP) (CON) Jackson (CON) Smith (SNP) Callanan (CON) Kinnock (LAB) Whittaker (UKIP) Clark (UKIP) Martin (LAB) Davies (LD) McAvan (LAB) Deva (CON) McCarthy (LAB) Dover (IND) Moraes (LAB) Duff (LD) Simpson (LAB) Farage (UKIP) Skinner (LAB) Hall (LD) Stihler (LAB) Hannan (CON) Titley (LAB) Harbour (CON) Willmott (LAB) Heaton-Harris (CON) Helmer (CON) Kamall (CON) Karim (CON) Kirkhope (CON) Knapman (UKIP) Lucas (GREEN) Ludford (LD)

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Lynne (LD) McMillan-Scott (CON) Mote (IND) Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson (UUP) Parish (CON) Stevenson (CON) Sturdy (CON) Sumberg (CON) Tannock (CON) Titford (UKIP) Van Orden (CON) Wallis (LD) Watson (LD)

16 CAP Health Check (Modifications) 19 November 2008

Even the Agriculture Committee’s own chairman voted against this report. The CAP’s failings are covered in the TaxPayers’ Alliance report Food for Thought . MEPs who voted for their consumer constituents gain one point for registering their view that the CAP needs to be massively reformed, if not ended. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Ashworth (CON) Allister (IND) Elles (CON) Attwooll (LD) Atkins (CON) de Brún (SF) Evans, Jill (PC) Bloom (UKIP) Batten (UKIP) Hall (LD) Hudghton (SNP) Bowles (LD) Beazley (CON) Lynne (LD) Newton-Dunn (LD) Cashman (LAB) Bowis (CON) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Davies (LD) Bradbourn (CON) Smith (SNP) Deva (CON) Bushill-Matthews Evans, Jonathan (CON) (CON) Callanan (CON) Farage (UKIP) Chichester (CON) Ford (LAB) Clark (UKIP) Kamall (CON) Colman (UKIP) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Corbett (LAB) Kinnock (LAB) Dover (IND) Moraes (LAB) Duff (LD) Sturdy (CON) Evans, R (LAB) Sumberg (CON) Gill (LAB) Titford (UKIP) Hannan (CON) Whittaker (UKIP) Harbour (CON) Heaton-Harris (CON) Helmer (CON) Honeyball (LAB) Howitt (LAB) Hughes (LAB) Jackson (CON) Karim (CON) Kirkhope (CON) Knapman (UKIP)

43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA  www.taxpayersalliance.com 29 0845 330 9554 (office hours)  07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours)

Lambert (GREEN) Lucas (GREEN) Ludford (LD) Martin (LAB) McAvan (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) McMillan-Scott (CON) Morgan (LAB) Mote (IND) Nattrass (UKIP) Nicholson (UUP) Parish (CON) Purvis (CON) Simpson (LAB) Skinner (LAB) Stevenson (CON) Stihler (LAB) Tannock (CON) Titley (LAB) Van Orden (CON) Wallis (LD) Watson (LD) Willmott (LAB) Wise (IND)

17 Small Business Act 4 December 2008 The central measure of this apparently uncontroversial proposal was to cut business red tape for small businesses, obviously of significant benefit given the current economic climate, and particularly given previous tendencies within the Commission to take big business concerns foremost. One point for voting in favour. Supported Abstained Opposed Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Bloom (UKIP) Knapman (UKIP) Batten (UKIP) Ashworth (CON) Clark (UKIP) Mote (IND) Beazley (CON) Atkins (CON) Colman (UKIP) Wise (IND) Cashman (LAB) Attwooll (LD) Farage (UKIP) Deva (CON) Bowis (CON) Nattrass (UKIP) Duff (LD) Bowles (LD) Titford (UKIP) Evans, Jonathan Bradbourn (CON) (CON) de Brún (SF) Ford (LAB) Bushill-Matthews Hannan (CON) (CON) Hudghton (SNP) Callanan (CON) Karim (CON) Chichester (CON) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Corbett (LAB) Kinnock (LAB) Davies (LD) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Dover (IND) Wallis (LD) Elles (CON) Whittaker (UKIP) Evans, Jill (PC) Evans, R (LAB)

43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA  www.taxpayersalliance.com 30 0845 330 9554 (office hours)  07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours)

Gill (LAB) Hall (LD) Harbour (CON) Heaton-Harris (CON) Helmer (CON) Honeyball (LAB) Howitt (LAB) Hughes (LAB) Jackson (CON) Kamall (CON) Kirkhope (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Lucas (GREEN) Ludford (LD) Lynne (LD) Martin (LAB) McAvan (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) McMillan-Scott (CON) Moraes (LAB) Morgan (LAB) Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson (UUP) Parish (CON) Purvis (CON) Simpson (LAB) Skinner (LAB) Smith (SNP) Stevenson (CON) Stihler (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Sumberg (CON) Tannock (CON) Titley (LAB) Van Orden (CON) Watson (LD) Willmott (LAB)

18 Working Time Directive 17 December 2008 The leaders of all the Westminster parties support the retention of the UK opt out from the Working Time Directive. This would otherwise impact heavily upon, for example, the NHS, community carers, child services, and the fire service, by counting time “on call” as time actually worked. It would also limit to freedom of people to decide for themselves their own working hours.

The opt outs allow national governments the opportunity to pass the law to address these cases as they best see fit. A vote against the motion to scrap the UK opt out equates to supporting the MEP’s own political leadership, and opposing this costly and ill-considered

43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA  www.taxpayersalliance.com 31 0845 330 9554 (office hours)  07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) scheme, gaining one point. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Attwooll (LD) Batten (UKIP) Ashworth (CON) de Brún (SF) Beazley (CON) Atkins (CON) Corbett (LAB) Bloom (UKIP) Bowis (CON) Elles (CON) Bradbourn (CON) Bowles (LD) Evans, Jill (PC) Dover (IND) Bushill-Matthews Ford (LAB) Evans, Jonathan (CON) Honeyball (LAB) (CON) Callanan (CON) Howitt (LAB) Helmer (CON) Cashman (LAB) Hughes (LAB) Hudghton (SNP) Chichester (CON) Lambert (GREEN) McCarthy (LAB) Clark (UKIP) Lucas (GREEN) Colman (UKIP) Martin (LAB) Davies (LD) McAvan (LAB) Deva (CON) Moraes (LAB) Duff (LD) Morgan (LAB) Evans, R (LAB) Simpson (LAB) Farage (UKIP) Skinner (LAB) Gill (LAB) Stihler (LAB) Hall (LD) Willmott (LAB) Hannan (CON) Harbour (CON) Heaton-Harris (CON) Jackson (CON) Kamall (CON) Karim (CON) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Kinnock (LAB) Kirkhope (CON) Knapman (UKIP) Ludford (LD) Lynne (LD) McMillan-Scott (CON) Mote (IND) Nattrass (UKIP) Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Nicholson (UUP) Parish (CON) Purvis (CON) Smith (SNP) Stevenson (CON) Sturdy (CON) Sumberg (CON) Tannock (CON) Titford (UKIP) Titley (LAB) Van Orden (CON) Wallis (LD)

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Watson (LD) Whittaker (UKIP) Wise (IND)

19 Genowefa Grabowska 13 January 2009 This set of proposals included bringing ‘civil society’ even more into the Brussels circuit – in other words, yet more public funding of proxies, and more of “Brussels talking to Brussels”. Of particular concern given the intent of persuading the Irish to vote Yes in the forthcoming referendum, it provides more pseudo-legitimacy for integrationist spokesmen. A vote against merits one point. 30 British MEPs endorsed the system instead. Opposed Abstained Supported Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Attwooll (LD) Batten (UKIP) Ashworth (CON) Beazley (CON) Bowles (LD) Atkins (CON) Corbett (LAB) Cashman (LAB) Bloom (UKIP) Davies (LD) Dover (IND) Bowis (CON) Duff (LD) Gill (LAB) Bradbourn (CON) Elles (CON) Hudghton (SNP) de Brún (SF) Evans, Jill (PC) Jackson (CON) Bushill-Matthews Evans, R (LAB) Kamall (CON) (CON) Ford (LAB) Kinnock (LAB) Callanan (CON) Hall (LD) Knapman (UKIP) Chichester (CON) Honeyball (LAB) Ludford (LD) Clark (UKIP) Howitt (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) Colman (UKIP) Hughes (LAB) Morgan (LAB) Deva (CON) Lambert (GREEN) Parish (CON) Evans, Jonathan Lucas (GREEN) Titford (UKIP) (CON) Lynne (LD) Farage (UKIP) Martin (LAB) Hannan (CON) McAvan (LAB) Harbour (CON) Moraes (LAB) Heaton-Harris (CON) Newton-Dunn (LD) Helmer (CON) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Karim (CON) Purvis (CON) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Simpson (LAB) Kirkhope (CON) Skinner (LAB) McMillan-Scott (CON) Smith (SNP) Mote (IND) Stihler (LAB) Nattrass (UKIP) Sumberg (CON) Nicholson (UUP) Titley (LAB) Stevenson (CON) Wallis (LD) Sturdy (CON) Watson (LD) Tannock (CON) Willmott (LAB) Van Orden (CON) Whittaker (UKIP) Wise (IND)

20 Cappato Reform 14 January 2009 Italian MEP Marco Cappato proposed increased access to official documents, including easier access to the attendance and voting records of MEPs. This did not win him many friends. A vote in favour of this report garners one point. One British MEP joined a large continental

43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA  www.taxpayersalliance.com 33 0845 330 9554 (office hours)  07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) group and openly opposed it. Supported Abstained Opposed Absent or no vote Allister (IND) Dover (IND) Beazley (CON) Ashworth (CON) Bloom (UKIP) Atkins (CON) Bradbourn (CON) Attwooll (LD) Bushill-Matthews Batten (UKIP) (CON) Bowis (CON) Colman (UKIP) Bowles (LD) Corbett (LAB) de Brún (SF) Davies (LD) Callanan (CON) Evans, Jonathan Cashman (LAB) (CON) Chichester (CON) Farage (UKIP) Clark (UKIP) Helmer (CON) Deva (CON) Jackson (CON) Duff (LD) Kilroy-Silk (IND) Elles (CON) Ludford (LD) Evans, Jill (PC) Mote (IND) Evans, R (LAB) Nattrass (UKIP) Ford (LAB) Nicholson (UUP) Gill (LAB) Sturdy (CON) Hall (LD) Sumberg (CON) Hannan (CON) Tannock (CON) Harbour (CON) Titford (UKIP) Heaton-Harris (CON) Willmott (LAB) Honeyball (LAB) Whittaker (UKIP) Howitt (LAB) Hudghton (SNP) Hughes (LAB) Kamall (CON) Karim (CON) Kinnock (LAB) Kirkhope (CON) Knapman (UKIP) Lambert (GREEN) Lucas (GREEN) Lynne (LD) Martin (LAB) McAvan (LAB) McCarthy (LAB) McMillan-Scott (CON) Moraes (LAB) Morgan (LAB) Newton-Dunn (LD) Nicholson, Bnss (LD) Parish (CON) Purvis (CON) Simpson (LAB) Skinner (LAB) Smith (SNP)

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Stevenson (CON) Stihler (LAB) Titley (LAB) Van Orden (CON) Wallis (LD) Watson (LD) Wise (IND)

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The following table shows where MEPs stood in relation to each of these votes. To assess MEPs at a glance, we recall the scoring system we referred to earlier:

‘1’ means they voted in a way that on reflection we believe a sensible vote should have been cast, as explained in each of the boxes above.

‘+’ means that they registered an abstention.

‘-’ means they voted in a contrary way.

Blank indicates absence or no registered vote.

A preponderance of a particular symbol suggests a general voting tendency for that MEP, and this is what comes out in the score.

Table 2.4: Roll Call Vote by reference number, showing points awarded for vote

Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Sum Allister + 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 + + + 1 1 + 1 1 1 1 16½ Ashworth + 1 + - - + 1 + + 1 + - 1 1 1 1 1 1 10½ Atkins + - - 1 + - 1 + - 1 1 1 1 1 1 7½ Attwooll ------1 - - 1 - - 1 1 - - 1 - 1 Batten 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 Beazley + ------1 - -4½ Bloom 1 1 1 1 + 1 5½ Bowis + - - - + 1 + - + 1 + - 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 Bowles . . - - - - - 1 - - 1 - - 1 1 1 1 1½ Bradbourn + 1 + - + 1 + 1 + 1 + - 1 1 1 1 10 de Brún - - + - 1 1 1 1 + - + 1 - 1 1 6 Bushill- + 1 + + 1 + - + 1 + - 1 1 1 1 1 10 Matthews Callanan 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 1 1 1 1 15½ Cashman ------1 1 -3½ Chichester + 1 + - + 1 + - 1 1 1 1 1 8 Clark 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 1 1 18½ Colman ...... 1 + 1 1 3½ Corbett - - + - - - - - 1 - - - 1 1 - - -2½ Davies ------1 - - 1 - 1 1 1 - 0 Deva 1 1 1 1 + + 1 1 1 1 9 Dover + 1 + - + 1 + - + 1 + 1 1 1 - 7½ Duff + 1 - - - - - 1 - - 1 - - 1 1 1 - 1 2½ Elles + + + - + 1 + 1 1 1 6 Evans, Jill - - 1 - 1 - 1 - - - + - 1 - - 1 ½

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Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Sum Evans, 1 + + 1 + 1 + - 1 5½ Jonathan Evans, R - - - - 1 - - 1 1 1 - 1 1½ Farage 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 1 12½ Ford ------1 -3½ Gill ------1 - - - 1 1 1 1 -1 Hall ------1 - - 1 - - 1 + 1 1 - 1 1 Hannan 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 + - 1 + 1 1 1 1 1 14 Harbour + 1 + - + 1 + - + 1 + - 1 1 1 1 1 1 10½ Heaton-Harris 1 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 1 1 1 1 1 15½ Helmer 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 + 1 1 + + 1 1 1 1 14 Honeyball ------1 - - 1 1 - - 1 -2½ Howitt ------1 - - 1 1 - - 1 -2 Hudghton - - 1 + 1 1 - - 1 2½ Hughes ------1 - - - 1 1 - - 1 -2½ Jackson + 1 - + + - - 1 1 1 4 Kamall . . 1 1 1 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 1 1 1 11½ Karim - - - - - + - + - 1 1 1 1 1 2½ Kilroy-Silk 1 1 1 + 1 1 1 1 1 8½ Kinnock ------1 - - 1 1 -2 Kirkhope + 1 - - + 1 + - + - 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 Knapman 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 12½ Lambert - - - - 1 - - 1 + - - + 1 1 - - 1 1 Lucas - + - - 1 1 1 + + 1 - - 1 1 1 - - 1 6 Ludford ------1 1 1 1 0 Lynne ------1 - - 1 - - 1 + 1 1 - 1 ½ Martin ------1 - - 1 1 - - 1 -2½ McAvan ------1 - - 1 1 - - 1 -2½ McCarthy - - - 1 - - 1 1 1 1½ McMillan-Scott + 1 + + + - + 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 Moraes ------1 - - - 1 - - 1 -3½ Morgan ------1 - 1 1 - 1 -1 Mote 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 16 Nattrass 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 1 13½ Newton-Dunn ------1 - - 1 - - 1 - 1 1 - 1 -½ Nicholson ------+ - 1 - 1 -1½ (Bnss) Nicholson + 1 + + - 1 + - 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 Parish + 1 + - + 1 + - 1 + 1 1 1 1 1 9½ Purvis + 1 - - - - 1 + - + 1 + - + 1 1 1 - 1 7 Simpson . . . ------1 - - - 1 1 - - 1 -2 Skinner - - - - 1 - - - 1 - - - 1 1 - - 1 -1 Smith - - + 1 1 1 1 - - - 1 1 - 1 4½ Stevenson + 1 - - + 1 + - + 1 + 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 Stihler + ------1 - - - 1 1 - - 1 -1 Sturdy + 1 - - + 1 + - 1 + - 1 1 1 1 7

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Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Sum Sumberg + 1 1 + 1 + 1 - + - 1 1 1 - 7½ Tannock + 1 + - + 1 + - + 1 + - 1 1 1 1 1 9½ Titford 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 12½ Titley - - - + - - - - - 1 - - - 1 1 1 - 1 -½ Van Orden + 1 + 1 1 1 + + + 1 1 1 1 1 1 12½ Wallis ------1 1 - - 1 1 1 - 1 1 Watson ------1 - - 1 - - 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 Willmott . . ------1 - - - 1 1 - - -3½ Whittaker 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 Wise 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 - 1 1 1 17

“1” vote gains one point, “+” half point for registered abstention, “ ” no vote registered or absent, “-” vote loses half point, “.” not an MEP.

It is at this point that some well-attending and active MEPs’ scores take a knock. This demonstrates that extremely active MEPs’ may not be representing the taxpayers’ interest.

This report’s ranking also makes specific provision for those MEPs’ who have been exposed for serious abuses of the expenses system or other corruption. In carrying out such an assessment, clearly there is the possibility of repeating media misreporting, or of there having been a misunderstanding of the rules. Our solution is to let the MEPs’ own whips be the judge of the merits of the case. Any MEP expelled from his own party or political group for financial irregularities is docked 10 points, set out in Table 2.2.2. Any MEP who kept the whip but resigned from a post within the party over the issue loses 5 points. We pass no judgment on individual cases and leave it to MEPs concerned to explain the circumstances.

Several other MEPs have also had their names associated with irregularities or improprieties. More information will undoubtedly emerge as the transparency code widens over the coming months, though sadly too late to affect this paper. 10

On the other hand, where MEPs have had difficulties with their whips over political issues, this does not lose – or gain - them any points.

10 We do not comment on reports such as that in http://www.theparliament.com/latestnews/news- article/newsarticle/mep-expenses-row-troubleshooter-sent-to-brussels/ , other than to highlight the possibility that voters could question their candidates at hustings and in the media for themselves

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Table 2.5: Point deductions over financial irregularities

MEP Date Points Ashley Mote July 2004 -10 11 Tom Wise March 2007 -10 Giles Chichester June 2008 - 5 Den Dover November 2008 -10

Finally, a list has finally emerged of who has and has not been a part of the voluntary second pension scheme for MEPs. The taxpayer provides €2 for every €1 the MEP puts into the scheme, in addition to the standard MEP pension; up to around £20,000 a year. The scheme currently has an €120 million deficit.

In order to credit those who have made a point of being less of a personal burden on the taxpayer, we award five bonus points to MEPs who (as at end 2007) had never been on this scheme, and three points for MEPs who have removed themselves from it after previous membership. Two points goes to MEPs who during the 2008 budget debate found themselves in the minority voting for an amendment to publish the list of recipients, despite being recipients themselves.

Table 2.6: Non-membership of Voluntary Second Pension Scheme as at end 2007

Never a member (5 points) Attwooll Clark Evans (Jill) Hall Kilroy-Silk Lambert Lucas McAvan McCarthy Morgan Smith Stihler Titford Whittaker Wallis Halted membership (3 points) Beazley Member but transparent Callanan (2 points) Corbett Davies Duff Evans (R) Hannan Heaton-Harris Hudghton

11 From actions undertaken from before an MEP, but still counted

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Kamall Ludford Lynne Newton-Dunn Nicholson (Bss) Sumberg Van Orden

Sources: http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/MEPsvoluntarypensions.xls and http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+PV+20070424+RES- RCV+DOC+WORD+V0//EN&language=EN

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3. Final Scores

Table 3.1: MEPs and Points

Name EPQs Net Expenses Votes Finances Pension Total Allister 10 3 10 16½ 39½ Ashworth 0 7 5 10½ 22½ Atkins 0 1 0 7½ 8½ Attwooll 0 2 4 - 1 5 10 Batten 0 3 2 13 18 Beazley 0 1 0 -4½ 3 0 Bloom 7 2 5 5½ 19½ Bowis 2 4 3 8 17 Bowles 1 3 9 1½ 14½ Bradbourn 3 1 7 10 21 de Brún 1 2 0 6 9 Bushill-Matthews 1 2 7 10 20 Callanan 2 2 8 15½ 2 27½ Cashman 2 3 0 -3½ 1½ Chichester 1 3 8 8 - 5 15 Clark 1 0 5 18½ 5 29½ Colman 0 7 8 3½ 18½ Corbett 4 9 2 -2½ 2 14½ Davies 8 10 8 0 2 28 Deva 2 2 8 9 21 Dover 0 1 0 7½ - 10 0 Duff 1 9 4 2½ 2 18½ Elles 0 2 3 6 11 Evans, Jill 2 4 0 ½ 5 11½ Evans, Jonathan 0 1 8 5½ 14½ Evans, R 9 2 5 1½ 2 19½ Farage 1 7 5 12½ 25½ Ford 6 2 3 -3½ 7½ Gill 1 1 0 -1 1 Hall 4 4 4 1 5 18 Hannan 2 10 8 14 2 36 Harbour 0 4 3 10½ 17½ Heaton-Harris 10 3 8 15½ 2 38½ Helmer 5 7 7 14 33 Honeyball 1 4 5 -2½ 7½ Howitt 2 2 0 -2 2 Hudghton 0 1 0 2½ 2 5½ Hughes 2 1 0 -2½ ½ Jackson 2 3 3 4 12 Kamall 8 3 8 11½ 2 32½ Karim 6 5 8 2½ 21½ Kilroy-Silk 10 2 0 8½ 5 25½

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Name EPQs Net Expenses Votes Finances Pension Total Kinnock 3 3 0 -2 4 Kirkhope 0 3 3 8 14 Knapman 0 1 0 12½ 13½ Lambert 3 6 5 1 5 20 Lucas 5 10 5 6 5 31 Ludford 10 7 1 0 2 20 Lynne 2 5 4 ½ 2 13½ Martin 10 2 3 -2½ 12½ McAvan 1 2 0 -2½ 5 5½ McCarthy 1 2 3 1½ 5 12½ McMillan-Scott 1 10 5 9 25 Moraes 7 2 5 -3½ 10½ Morgan 2 1 0 -1 5 7 Mote 10 3 5 16 - 10 24 Nattrass 0 1 0 13½ 14½ Newton-Dunn 5 4 0 -½ 2 10½ Nicholson, Bnss 3 1 0 -1½ 2 4½ Nicholson 2 1 0 9 12 Parish 8 4 8 9½ 29½ Purvis 0 2 3 7 12 Simpson 7 2 2 -2 9 Skinner 1 1 0 -1 1 Smith 5 2 1 4½ 5 17½ Stevenson 2 3 3 10 18 Stihler 10 2 0 -1 5 16 Sturdy 2 3 3 7 15 Sumberg 1 1 5 7½ 2 16½ Tannock 9 3 8 9½ 29½ Titford 1 1 5 12½ 5 24½ Titley 3 2 0 -½ 4½ Van Orden 1 3 8 12½ 2 26½ Wallis 9 5 6 1 5 26 Watson 10 10 8 1 29 Willmott 5 6 0 -3½ 7½ Whittaker 0 1 5 7 5 18 Wise 0 2 5 17 - 10 14

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Table 3.2: Final Approval Rating and Ranking

No Name Per cent rating Party

1 Allister 79% IND 2 Heaton-Harris 77% CON 3 Hannan 72% CON 4 Helmer 66% CON 5 Kamall 65% CON 6 Lucas 62% GREEN =7 Clark 59% UKIP =7 Parish 59% CON =7 Tannock 59% CON 10 Watson 58% LD 11 Davies 56% LD =12 Callanan 53% CON =12 Van Orden 53% CON 14 Wallis 52% LD =15 Farage 51% UKIP =15 Kilroy-Silk 51% IND 17 McMillan-Scott 50% CON 18 Titford 49% UKIP 19 Mote 48% IND 20 Ashworth 45% CON 21 Karim 43% CON =22 Bradbourn 42% CON =22 Deva 42% CON =24 Bushill-Matthews 40% CON =24 Lambert 40% GREEN =24 Ludford 40% LD =27 Bloom 39% UKIP =27 Evans (Robert) 39% LAB =29 Colman 37% UKIP =29 Duff 37% LD =31 Batten 36% UKIP =31 Hall 36% LD =31 Stevenson 36% CON =31 Whittaker 36% UKIP

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No Name Per cent rating Party

=35 Harbour 35% CON =35 Smith 35% SNP 37 Bowis 34% CON 38 Sumberg 33% CON 39 Stihler 32% LAB =40 Chichester 30% CON =40 Sturdy 30% CON =42 Bowles 29% LD =42 Corbett 29% LAB =42 Evans (Jonathan) 29% CON =42 Nattrass 29% UKIP 46 Kirkhope 28% CON =47 Knapman 27% UKIP =47 Lynne 27% LD =49 Martin 25% LAB =49 McCarthy 25% LAB =51 Jackson 24% CON =51 Nicholson (Jim) 24% UUP =51 Purvis 24% CON =51 Wise 24% IND 55 Evans (Jill) 23% PLAID 56 Elles 22% CON =57 Moraes 21% LAB =57 Newton-Dunn 21% LD 59 Attwooll 20% LD =60 de Brún 18% SF =60 Simpson 18% LAB 62 Atkins 17% CON =63 Ford 15% LAB =63 Honeyball 15% LAB =63 Willmott 15% LAB 66 Morgan 14% LAB =67 Hudghton 11% SNP =67 McAvan 11% LAB =69 Nicholson, Bnss 9% LD

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No Name Per cent rating Party

=69 Titley 9% LAB 71 Kinnock 8% LAB 72 Howitt 4% LAB 73 Cashman 3% LAB =75 Gill 2% LAB =75 Skinner 2% LAB 76 Hughes 1% LAB =77 Beazley 0% CON =77 Dover 0% IND

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4. Conclusions

The ranking above can only provide a starting point for voters to challenge the track record of their individual MEPs. There will undoubtedly prove to be cases where, for instance, an MEP may have been ill for key votes. He may have spent much of his Brussels career plodding through committees assiduously but without distinction, or indeed as a minority viewpoint without much concrete success. The MEP may be otherwise unknown, but may have really made his mark by one exemplary campaign touching the lives of thousands rather than expanding energy on a few dozen issues best dealt with by local councillors.

Given the list system and the patronage and electoral immunity it can bestow, a few weeks before a Euro-election is not the best time to hold MEPs to account. The current selection/reselection/deselection mechanisms generate a grave democratic deficit most parties 12 still need to address, if they want to give a sense of true grassroots ownership and popular participation in mainstream politics.

Proper accountability will, however, only come if and when:

 The old first past the post system (Westminster-style) is again used. The current list system protects the majority of sitting MEPs from the voters. If candidates fight for specific constituencies, there will be more of an association between the elector and “his” (one) MEP.

 Alternatively, if the list system is retained, sitting MEPs face the possibility of being deselected or ranked below the ‘winnable’ threshold.

 There is no such concept as a “safe seat for life” in European politics.

 Political parties open up their selection procedures more.

 Voting records are not only put online in a cohesive format, but examined by those who campaign on issues of democracy, accountability and good governance.

In the absence of such reforms, this paper stands as a tool for party members and voters to challenge what their existing candidate really stands for, and keep our elected representatives on their toes.

12 The Greens deserve an honourable mention here.

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