MEPs have €150,000 expenses...and they don't have to provide accounts for any of this expenditure?
Sally Smith wants to make the European Parliament more accessible and more open.
After all, we are paying for it.Vote Jury Team
Sally Smith - No. 1 Candidate for Jury Team SW
"My main objective is to lift the veil of complexity and secrecy from the European Parliament and report back so everyone in my home region knows more about what is going on - good and bad"
"The South West can seem a long way from Brussels, but I want to raise a passion among the electorate here for involvement and change. I will carry this fight to the European Parliament, lobbying other MEPs to reject laws and regulations that are deemed damaging or with little benefit to the South West and the UK"
"I will strongly campaign against all the unnecessary bureaucracy and regulations that are stifling business growth and draining our economy as this is key for the region - and of course for the UK as a whole"
Sally has her own personal views on issues. These include:
Too many 'career' politicians
The idea of unpaid MPs and MEPs working for the good of the people and country is very appealing but sadly unrealistic. Today, however, we have too many 'career' politicians who know everything about process and little about the realities of keeping a job and raising a family in modern Britain. For MEPs, the balance appears to be on strengthening the European Parliament's role even when detrimental to the life of everyday people. This needs to change as a matter of real urgency.
We have relinquished too much power to Europe.
Sally believes it is extraordinary that so much power has been relinquished to the European Parliament without our endorsement. She believes that the European Parliament is increasingly legislating in areas that should be under the control of our own proven parliamentary system here.
We have lost any control of how our money is being spent in Europe.
The accounts of the EU have not been passed by auditors for years. Every year there is a small outcry as auditors refuse to sign them off. How can this be? A business would not be allowed to run under this premiss.
MEPs are given vast sums to be used to cover expenses for which they do not have to provide any accounts of evidence of expenditure. This is not an open and honest way to run parliament.
Specific personal viewpoints
Everyone needs housing, health services that work and good education, legal and transport systems. Additional areas that are of specific interest to Sally include:
Borders and Migration
World population is soaring. There has to be a finite limit to how many people Britain and Europe can absorb. The key is to help other countries raise their living standards rather than threaten our own lifestyles by placing unacceptable burdens on our finances and culture through uncontrolled immigration. Britain and Europe must address its immigration policies and borders as a matter of urgency. Gibralter is part of our South West region and I am very aware different border requirements exist there.
Business/Management/Enterprise
Businesses here in the South West and across the country are finding things incredibly tough. I will lobby hard to remove the onerous and unnecessary restrictions and laws in the workplace and will also do what I can to ensure the region obtains maximum benefit from any EU initiatives and grants.
Sally is part of a group of independent candidates called the Jury Team.
For further information on the Jury Team please click here