Whatever government is in power will take some pleasure out of blocking an increase in the European Parliament's budget. The whole package is concocted from a political class that wants to bite the hand. A few samples of their troughing:
The artificially created European political parties in the parliament will receive £75 million,under the projections while spending on information about MEPs work rises to £72.5 million, including £8m for the parliament's own web-based television channel.
The spending allowance for MEP staffing will rise to almost £220,000, a provision that costs £11.8 million. The figure increased event though MEPs were forced to pay back over £3 million in "unduly paid" claims.
Controversial "brown envelope" cash payments, handed out without receipts, to groups visiting the parliament will increase to GBP26 million, a rise of GBP4.6m.
Another £4.5 million is earmarked to be spent on "connectivity" and mobile internet services for MEPs, taking the parliament's bill for IT services to over £90 million.
The parliament is also determined to press ahead with a grandiose multi-million pound state-of-the-art "House of European History".
Do
they want the European Council to wield the knife and cut their
budget? This list puts such surgery within popular reach. One can only hope that a few scandals are exposed in the Sundays and an Augean clean-out is achieved of at least British MEPs.
It would be amusing if Labour, Lib Dems and Conservatives had to withdraw the whip from the majority of their MEPs....