Don’t waste vital money on EU vote
I AM a Danish MEP candidate and I have to say to Britain: don’t waste taxpayers’ money on the EU elections. With the extension of Brexit until the end of October, the Brits will likely have to vote in the European Parliament elections later this month. But why not extend the period of service of current British MEPs by a couple of months, instead of squandering money on another vote? The cost of holding the last European Parliament elections, in 2014, was around £108 million, according to government figures. Think about how many nurses and teachers you could employ for that. Wouldn’t it be smarter to spend the money on hospitals and schools, rather than wasting it on electing politicians who will not be able to do any good (or bad) before they have to leave the EU Parliament? Given that the EU Parliament starts work again at the end of August, after the summer break, the 73 British MEPs you elect in May will have a maximum of two months of effective work before being kicked out when the UK leaves the EU in October at the latest. That is a mockery of democracy. Holding the elections will hinder and delay the EU from getting on with the important challenges facing Europe, such as fighting climate change and adopting a new EU budget. The British MEPs coming and going will destabilise the EU Parliament and no one will know which majority can adopt which solutions. That is why my advice to you, my fellow Europeans, is to cancel the European elections and hold on to your current MEPs for a couple of months.
NIELS FUGLSANG, Aarhus, Denmark. WRAPPED up in our Brexit frenzy, the real importance of the EU elections is being mostly ignored. There is every chance we will stay in the EU, or at least remain represented in the EU Parliament, until October 31. The UK is apparently going to elect as MEPs a cohort of Brexiteers who not only have no regard for the EU, but actively want to disrupt it. This is irresponsible and a negation of democratic values. Over the next five years, there will be significant questions of EU reform of vital importance to the UK, whether we are in or out. It is desperately important that we elect responsible representatives. These would include Conservatives, but not candidates from Ukip or the Brexit Party. This country may have voted to leave the EU, but we did not vote to destroy it. HUGH LEGGE, Northampton.