European Union, Democracy at work

The position left vacant by the death of East Midlands MEP Philip Whitehead is to be filled without a by-election. Mr Whitehead, who died suddenly at the age of 68 on New Year's Eve, was the only Labour MEP in the region. BBC

And here in lies the problem: "Party Politics"

Following the 1997 general election the Labour Government introduced the European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999, changing the system by which Great Britain’s MEPs are elected from First Past The Post to a closed ‘list’ system of PR.

Which means, when a seat becomes vacant as a result of the death or resignation from parliament of an MEP elected on a party list it is filled by the next eligible person from that list. Where the list has been exhausted or the vacancy arises as a result of the death or resignation of an independent candidate a by-election will be held.

It should be noted that European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999 was one of 3 Acts (out of 4) which was forced through Parliament by NuLabour, using the Parliament Act 1949.

Question

AT THE NEXT EUROPEAN UNION ELECTION, what will you really achieve unless you vote INDEPENDENT

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