Pantomime, travel and rest: What comes next for Britain's EU lawmakers?

 

FILE PHOTO: A British Union Jack flag is seen on the desk of Nigel Farage (not pictured), leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) and Member of the European Parliament, ahead of a debate on the outcome of last EU-Turkey summit at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, March 9, 2016. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

 

STRASBOURG (Reuters) - Britain’s 73 EU lawmakers packed up their offices in Strasbourg on Thursday: for some a moment of triumph, for others, disaster.

 

This week marked the last sitting of the European Parliament in the eastern French town before Brexit Britain leaves the bloc on Jan. 31 and all those lawmakers lose their jobs.

 

There is one more session to go in the assembly’s main base in Brussels. But for the British MEPs, from Thursday, there will be no more first-class train journeys trips across the Ardennes to their regular sessions in Strasbourg, and no more dining out on its Alsatian wine, choucroute and tarte flambee.

 

The Brexit Party’s Ann Widdecombe, for one, said she was “delighted” to be winding up her near eight-month career as a Member of the European Parliament.

 

“I came here to get Brexit done, she told Reuters. “That’s why I came and we’ve been pretty successful.”

 

Her possessions in Strasbourg, she said, fitted into one cardboard box. She was looking forward to returning to her home in southwest England, to writing, to giving speeches on cruise ships and to getting involved in pantomimes.

 

The 751 members of parliament (MEPs) convene in Strasbourg four days a month and in Brussels for the remainder, an upheaval that costs millions of euros a year - something that Brexiteers such as Widdecombe regularly hold up as evidence of EU waste.

 

Fellow Brexit Party member Claire Fox said she had no regrets about saying goodbye to the French border town. She had only joined the European Parliament to get her country out of the whole institution. Britain had stayed “longer than we should have”.

 

“THE MOST INTERESTING JOB”

Not long enough for Luisa Porritt, a lawmaker from the Liberal Democrats, which campaigned to stay in the European Union.

 

Her career as an MEP was as short as Widdecombe’s but she said felt “very lucky” to have had the experience.

 

“I’ve been grateful for every extra day that I’ve had,” said the 32-year-old, who is planning to take a break in Iceland after Jan. 31.

 

Caroline Voaden, head of the EU assembly’s Liberal Democrat delegation, said she felt devastated.

 

“It’s been the most interesting job of my life, but that’s so minimal compared to the sadness I feel about what it means for Britain.”

 

The job had given her an opportunity to speak out on mental health, shape the EU’s new Green Deal and work in a multicultural environment. It had been “gruelling”, but she would miss it and struggle to settle back in to her small hometown in England.

 

All four women joined the European Parliament at the last elections in May 2019, so they will not qualify for the assembly’s golden goodbye - one month of salary for every year in office, capped at 24 months, for MEPs with more than a year under their belts.

 

In just over two weeks time, they will be shutting up their even bigger offices in Brussels, and handing back their access and voting cards, office keys and laptops.

 

(Editing by Andrew Heavens)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-01-17

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the place is one massive expensive undemocratic farce

Im wondering whether there’s any law that forces MEPs to actually be in Strasbourg and Brussels, or whether Widdecomb could have just stayed home. 

the expense of running a meeting chambers for just 4 days a month is just a total waste of money, typical of the EU, they like to spend spend spend

27 minutes ago, steve187 said:

the expense of running a meeting chambers for just 4 days a month is just a total waste of money, typical of the EU, they like to spend spend spend

Spend, spend, spend. Ban, Ban, Ban. Regulate, Regulate, Over-Regulate.

 

Banning the iPhone charging cable is the next 'vital' issue on the EU Hitlist. So glad to be leaving this failing project.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51137069

 

 

1 hour ago, Victornoir said:

The people of Strasbourg are delighted, Widdecombe frightened children... 

She wouldn't have given you (or me) the time of day when she was younger. She was a cracker. I like her, she says it like it is.

"getting involved in pantomimes" - has already been involved, the production is called the EU (oh yes it is)

4 hours ago, Victornoir said:

The people of Strasbourg are delighted, Widdecombe frightened children... 

 

but not as many as the drunkard Juncker did!

4 hours ago, steve187 said:

the expense of running a meeting chambers for just 4 days a month is just a total waste of money, typical of the EU, they like to spend spend spend

 

Yes but it panders to the self important French continuing to believe they run Europe.