European update – Chris Davies MEP

Like many in the Lib Dems I receive a regular email from Lib Dem MEP for the North West Chris Davies about all things European. A short quote from him seemed very apt to these elections. It’s something any candidate and agent should take on board. For those who don’t know what canvassing means it … Continue reading “European update – Chris Davies MEP”

Like many in the Lib Dems I receive a regular email from Lib Dem MEP for the North West Chris Davies about all things European. A short quote from him seemed very apt to these elections. It’s something any candidate and agent should take on board. For those who don’t know what canvassing means it refers to going door to door, whether asking people for issues they’d like tackled or if they have made their mind up over who to vote for.

“A nervous candidate told me last week that he was about to start canvassing and asked what reception I was getting on the doorstep. I was happy to tell him that my experience to date had been a lot better than might have been expected from the opinion polls. Sure, there are some who accuse us of betraying trust by forming a coalition with the Tories, and we are losing some votes to other parties in consequence, but a lot of these people never voted for us in the first place. There are still a great many electors out there who like the Liberal Democrats and wish us well. I’m spoilt of course, because I tend to go canvassing with candidates who have worked hard, communicated effectively and have a good track record, but my impression to date confirms the old adage: “where we work, we win.”

Chris Davies also wrote about the rise in the European interest rate and Portugal, Greece and Ireland. He also wrote about upcoming changes to fishery policy. He also wrote about former North West Conservative MEP Den Dover being asked to pay back £345,289.

Here’s the breakdown of some of what your former Conservative MEP is being asked to pay back

Dover made the following illegitimate payments from the allowance paid to MEPs to meet the costs of paying for staff:
£101,068 for three cars
£15,404 for office supplies and equipment, £89,235 for postage and stationery, £100,735 for the costs of rent and renovation of Den Dover’s ‘office’, which just happened to be in his private home, and £20,767 for telephone costs
£17,880 for ‘entertainment expenses’
£200 in donations to the Conservative Party (certainly wrong, but possibly mean too!)

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