Speaking for myself, I know who my local councillors are for the Denton South Ward of the Borough of Tameside. I occasionally receive leaflets from them.
I also know who my local MP is for the Parliamentary constituency of Denton and Reddish. I occasionally receive leaflets from him and read what he has to say in the press and on social media.
But I can honestly say that I know very little about any of the following individuals:
Theresa Griffin; Afzal Khan; Julie Ward; Jacquline Foster; Sajjad Karim; Louise Bours; Paul Nuttall & Steven Wolfe?
Yet they are all Members of the European Parliament for the North West Region - MY MEP's. I think the last time I received a leaflet from any of them was during the elections to the European Parliament in 2014?
Then there are the Political groupings in the European Parliamentary Chamber. The EPP (European People's Party) led by the "high profile" Manfred Weber is the largest group with 215 MEP's. However, it is rivalled by the "equally well-known" Gianni Pittella's 190 MEP's of the S & D (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats). Then there is the 74 MEP's of the ECR (European Conservatives & Reformists) led by Syed Kamall and the ALDE - no, not the shopping chain - that's ALDI - which is the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and comprises 70 MEP's under the leadership of Guy Verhofstadt.
However, a third of our laws come from the European Union via these and other political groups - totalling 751 MEPs who I do not know and I have never even heard of.
It is therefore very difficult to hold them to account.
Despite its numerous faults, I have always believed in Britain's Democracy and in the Supremacy of Parliament; where constituents are - and should be - able to hold individual MPs to account for the decisions they make.
THEREFORE, I WILL BE VOTING TO LEAVE THE EU IN THE UPCOMING REFERENDUM ON THURSDAY 23 JUNE!
Carl Simmons
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