Tis the season of giving afterall

I thought it might be interesting to direct everyones attention to this Daily Telegraph article that appeared several days ago. I find it particularly interesting that this story did not appear to be picked up by most of the mainstream media as far as Im aware of. Which given the the recent scrutiny of of Westminster MP's expenses I found worrying indeed.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/6827115/MEPs-to-receive-extra-32000-a-year-on-top-of-pay-rise.html



Of course I am not surprised by the announcement. MEP's have always managed to be generous in thier perks and expenses in the past. (Perhaps civil sevants failed to inform MEP's that "the season of giving" does not infact refer to yourself)
Above inflation pay risesof 3.7% and extra expences for staffing (£220,000 by 2011), all of course totally justified in thier minds. How on earth would they otherwise deal with all the extra bureaucracy and workload that has been thrust upon them with the ratification of the lisbon treaty? Poor things.
More sinisterly I find myself asking the question: "just who are these people accountable to?" This kind of story should be front page of all the national newspapers. But it isn't. Personally I feel that there is still an attitude that what happens in Brussels does not concern Britain. It is this sort of attitude must be addressed or EU machine will continue to steamroller forward with the majority of the public blissfully unaware of the changing balance of power towards Europe.

Duncan Soutar
Scottish National Coordinator