Comments on: Conservative and UKIP MEP Poor Attendance Records

By: Sally

Sally — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:11:28 +0000

Thank you, Mary. I wish you a pleasant summer too.

By: maryhoneyballmep

maryhoneyballmep — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:08:40 +0000

Sally
This is not presenteeism we are voting on legislation. If the Conservative Leader Timothy Kirkhope can achieve 79% then that should be a minimum. He will have UK commitments. Perhaps the low attenders can release their diaries for ALL their absences? I suspect there will be few if any justifiable meetings as the schedules are known long in advance.
Thank you for all your comments, I hope you have a pleasant holiday over the summer.
Mary

By: Sally

Sally — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:17:03 +0000

As you know, Mary, there can be a phenomenon known as “presentism” whereby people compete with one another in a macho manner to see who can stay latest at the office – whilst not actually achieving that much! It may well be – and certainly is in the case of some of the Conservatives – that their lower attendance percentages cover the fact that they have to attend meetings back here in the UK.

By: Martin

Martin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:13:43 +0000

percentages percentages (?shmercentages)

I was however very pleased at the appearance not of a percentage, but a unit…

Cameron’s MEP Belgian allies, the Lijst Dedecker, have dropped from five seats to one.

I find these people, the LD, perhaps the worst of his allies… some of the others are clowns.

By: Daniel Oxley

Daniel Oxley — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:20:53 +0000

The justification for the poor attendance by Paul Nutall could be explored further. Leaving aside two factors in his ability to attend; his chairmanship of UKIP and his paternity leave, let’s focus on his mandate from the people who elected him in his North West constituency.
Mr. Nutall was very clear in his campaign material to stress that he wished to spend large portions of time campaigning in this country for UK Home Rule. The voters are getting what they were promised.
People who vote for the UK independence Party are unlikely to want their MEP to fritter away their time sitting on committees to decide what chocolate is or to hang around the Parliament making courtly bows to Emperor Rompuy or pretty compliments to Baroness Ashdown.
His plan to hold an MEP ‘surgery’ in every one of the 75 parliamentary constituencies in the NW is a refreshing example of commitment to engaging with the people. It is a pity that more MEPs do not follow his example. Apart from visits to schools and hospitals their meetings seem mostly to be with activists from their own parties.