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Caroline Lucas Tops Open Europe Transparency Table

With the Euro elections less than a fortnight away, a survey by the independent think tank, Open Europe, has ranked Caroline in joint first place on transparency and reform.

UKIP's MEPs filled FIVE of the bottom 9 places amongst UK MEPs.

All 785 MEPs were given scores for their records over the last five year term - including scrutiny of their expenses.

Marks were given in 20 categories including voting records, attendance, written declarations, and a failed attempt to get taxpayers to top up their pension contributions.

Open Europe monitored a range of MEPs' activities, including voting records, written declarations, and whether MEPs opposed "wasteful activities".

Caroline Lucas scored 43 points, along with two Scottish MEPs, putting them in joint tenth place out of 785 MEPs and at the top of the UK table.

A Swedish Green MEP, Carl Schlyter, won the most points - 55 out of a possible 58 and the far-right Italian MEP Roberto Fiore came bottom scoring just 2 points.

Green Party leader Dr Caroline Lucas MEP, said she was delighted with the result which,

"shows more clearly than ever that if people want to see greater democracy, transparency and accountability in parliament, the best way of achieving that is to vote Green on 4 June."

Open Europe's Research Director Mats Persson said :

"They might talk a good game at home, but too many British MEPs have voted against transparency and EU reform on a number of occasions. What we need now is a new generation of politicians, committed to acting in the public interest and pushing for a much better deal for taxpayers at all levels of government - including EU level."

Comments

Anonymous said…
Yet again Green Party politicians, not just in England and Wales but all across Europe, show they are walking the walk and not just talking the talk. It annoys me though, especaily in the current climate, that this has not been reported anywhere! Once again we are ignored by the BBC and the other mainstream media outlets. The far-right BNP are given coverage way out of proportion, If they do well the media have themselves to blame, but why should they care? it'll just mean more juicy headlines.
26 May 2009 at 17:14
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