EU corruption "equivalent to the bloc's annual budget"

[KentPhilip]

No they aren't. There are anti europe lobbies in most European countries. There are Tory Eurosceptics, who are arguably a lot more mainstream. And once again, just because a view is opposing that doesn't mean including it makes for a balanced article, in fact if it's a minority view giving it equal weight leads to a very unbalanced article.

OK so get some tory eurosceptics to oppose the view of the EU in the article - I would agree with that.

So how come the least corruption is found in those countries which have been in the EU the longest and the most in the new member states?

Probably because the new member states are ex-USSR and run by the mafia. I can't see how replacing the U SSR with the EU-SSR is going to help anything.

Here, BTW, is a UKIP article with no opinions from other parties, just a simple, unbiased, statement of fact.

BBC News - Ex-Conservative councillor David Parsons joins UKIP

And here is another

BBC News - Nigel Farage wants no more 'UKIP Walter Mittys'

And another

BBC News - Farage: Women must sacrifice family life to succeed in City

OK I'll grant you you're right about the third one.
But the first two are discussions about what is happening purely within UKIP, and don't make any suggestions as to how UKIP would change the world around them as the EU story did. And the second story is rather focusing on faults within UKIP. You don't get the same level of scrutiny from the BBC on other parties councillors such as Labour ones.

[doodab]

But the first two are discussions about what is happening purely within UKIP, and don't make any suggestions as to how UKIP would change the world around them as the EU story did.

You do realise that the only place UKIP have the power to do anything currently is in the EU parliament don't you? They are part of the reason that report exists. If the report suggests changing things, and UKIP disagreed, then they had a chance to get involved in it before it was published. If they didn't it's because they are too busy snuffling from the trough they claim to despise.

[KentPhilip]

You do realise that the only place UKIP have the power to do anything currently is in the EU parliament don't you? They are part of the reason that report exists. If the report suggests changing things, and UKIP disagreed, then they had a chance to get involved in it before it was published. If they didn't it's because they are too busy snuffling from the trough they claim to despise.

UKIP are not responsible for the actions of the EU parliament - they have a very little influence on it.
If they have sufficient power to make meaningful changes to it then they would have done so ages ago.
It is knowledge of the fact that they can't change much with it that they campaign to pull the UK as a whole out of it.

Farage is not "snuffling" from any trough. By his own admission he could have become "seriously rich" by staying in the city. But his sense of civic duty led him to get into politics instead.

[Doggy Styles]

When was the last time auditors were able to sign off the EU annual accounts?

[darmstadt]

UKIP are not responsible for the actions of the EU parliament - they have a very little influence on it.
If they have sufficient power to make meaningful changes to it then they would have done so ages ago.
It is knowledge of the fact that they can't change much with it that they campaign to pull the UK as a whole out of it.

Farage is not "snuffling" from any trough. By his own admission he could have become "seriously rich" by staying in the city. But his sense of civic duty led him to get into politics instead.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...3#.UvEr7vlkTIs

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/405...ties-in-Europe

[KentPhilip]

UKIP branded laziest political party in Europe - Mirror Online

Nigel Farage defends 'lunchtime pint' as UKIP tops LAZIEST political parties in Europe | UK | News | Daily Express

That is as maybe. But it doesn't alter the fact that UKIP represent a viewpoint that is in oppostion to that of the EU, and even if UKIP could spend 168 hours a week in the Brussels parliament they still exert little influence on it directly.

I think I would rather UKIP spend their time campaigning for UK domestic votes rather than trying to change the EU from within.

[darmstadt]

That is as maybe. But it doesn't alter the fact that UKIP represent a viewpoint that is in oppostion to that of the EU, and even if UKIP could spend 168 hours a week in the Brussels parliament they still exert little influence on it directly.

I think I would rather UKIP spend their time campaigning for UK domestic votes rather than trying to change the EU from within.

Then why do they stand for election as MEPs? Surely then they should be concentrating more on local and national elections than continuing to get into the European Parliament, or is it because it is easier to get votes as MEP as the majority of the public can't be bothered voting in the EU elections, or is it because they have less accountability against where everything they did in the UK would be scrutinised?

[KentPhilip]

Then why do they stand for election as MEPs? Surely then they should be concentrating more on local and national elections than continuing to get into the European Parliament, or is it because it is easier to get votes as MEP as the majority of the public can't be bothered voting in the EU elections, or is it because they have less accountability against where everything they did in the UK would be scrutinised?

That's a good question. I think you are right that it is easier for them to get votes as Euro candidates. And by doing so it gives them a greater degree of "gravitas" than if they did not hold political office.
Also by serving as MEPs they get to find out more about the bad things that happen in the EU - greater ammunition for their domestic campaigns.

Oh and the MEP salary is not exactly a disincentive I suppose, not that Farage himself needs it

[doodab]

That is as maybe. But it doesn't alter the fact that UKIP represent a viewpoint that is in oppostion to that of the EU, and even if UKIP could spend 168 hours a week in the Brussels parliament they still exert little influence on it directly.

Given the diversity of viewpoints within Europe and among MEPs that's an incredibly silly statement. There is no way they could be in opposition to all the diverse views within the EU unless they opposed their own opinions.

[darmstadt]

That's a good question. I think you are right that it is easier for them to get votes as Euro candidates. And by doing so it gives them a greater degree of "gravitas" than if they did not hold political office.
Also by serving as MEPs they get to find out more about the bad things that happen in the EU - greater ammunition for their domestic campaigns.

Oh and the MEP salary is not exactly a disincentive I suppose, not that Farage himself needs it

But if they're not attending then how can they find out about these 'bad things?' Personally I think they're worse than benefit cheats as they're screwing a system for their own interests and guess what, you're paying them to do this as well as voting for them (which means you approve of it...)