The Glory of the Republic

Why do MEP’s need to commute between two separate parliaments? This is a question that MEP’s themselves are asking.

Hundreds of European Parliament members and staff are demanding an end to the monthly commute from their Brussels headquarters to Strasbourg and back again. In a poll conducted by the parliament last week, 70.8 per cent of those who responded said they wanted to conduct all business in the Belgian capital.

But they will find it hard to change anything, because:

Over the years, Paris has expended huge diplomatic capital to preserve Strasbourg's status as an official seat of the parliament, a status that appears crucial to French national pride.

A large mostly empty building, essential to national pride? So the cost is ok then?

"If it were not for French blackmail, none of us would be going to Strasbourg once a month, at a cost of over £10 million of European taxpayers' money a time,"

And as if that were not enough:

The building cost France £250 million, though Paris is now quietly selling the complex to the European parliament.

Double whammy. Is it any wonder that perfidious Brits like myself have a view of the EU as France’s plaything?