wight1984

What is being voted on?

Across Europe, EU citizens will be voting who they want to represent them in the European Parliament. There are 751 seats up for election with each nation having a portion and 73 of them will be elected by the UK. Elected Members of European Parliament (MEPS) then organise themselves into wider supranational party groupings, the biggest of which are the following eight:

2014 EU election results. Notes on 'affiliated parties' added by me.

When you vote, you will be voting for the familiar UK national parties, so it is not necessary to understand these bigger political groups. However, if you want a feel for these political groups then a live political debate was broadcast on 15th May and still available on Iplayer (alternatively, you can read the BBC’s summary). 

You can see how the European Parliament fits into the wider structure of EU democracy in the following chart:

More on democracy in the EU here: https://bit.ly/2VHZbl9

Together with the EU Council, the EU Parliament is responsible for passing budgets and legislation that are proposed by the European Commission. Additionally, the EU Parliament has to approve the nominations for European Commission and has the power to dismiss the Commission. This means that the president of the Commission has historically been from the biggest party group represented in the EU Parliament. A full listing of the parliament's powers can be found here.
 
How do we vote?

Each nation is allowed to decide for itself how voting works as long as the method chosen is proportional (the number of MEPs elected for each party should broadly match their share of the votes)

The UK has decided to split itself into eleven voting regions, each electing their own group of MEPs. The Southeast region will be electing ten MEPS:

2014 results: https://wiki.sh/12zaq

The method of voting used in all regions other than Northern Ireland (which will be using an STV system) will be D'Hondt Party List. What this means is that each party running in the Southeast will create a list of up to ten candidates and we will vote for one of these lists. If 40% of people vote for the Labour List, then 4 out of 10 candidates will be elected (starting at the top of the list). As it is unlikely that the vote will be split in tidy divisions of 10%, the D’hondt method is used to decide how to allocate seats (it's one of a variety of methods used to work out how to allocate seats when the numbers don't divide evenly).

Here’s how this worked out back in 2014:

It’s worth noting that there are still some votes that didn’t result in anyone being elected, which are sometimes described as ‘wasted votes’. The good news is that there are a lot less 'wasted votes' than in other UK elections and that it is not a two-horse race between Labour and Conservative. The bad news is that a vote for any party smaller than the Green Party has a substantial risk of not resulting in anyone being elected. With that in mind, there is still some room to think tactically about who to vote for:

Voting intention from ComRest. Projected seats by me.

If you want to be confident in voting for a party that will gain at least one seat, then you should only vote for one of the top five. However, there’s no magic ball as to how people will vote on the day and the above polling has a very significant 24% of people who are still undecided, so you may want to vote for one of the smaller parties in hopes of pushing them over the threshold to secure a seat (e.g. Change UK is not very far below the Green Party on the above polling table).

Example ballot: https://bit.ly/2LUmL9Z

What are my options?

The Brexit Party - https://thebrexitparty.org/
 
“As the leader of The Brexit Party, Nigel is ready for the political fight of his life after 25 years of campaigning to get Britain out of the EU. The opportunity now is to change British politics for the better. Nigel is one of the most successful political leaders in modern British history.” (source)

Candidate List: Nigel Farage, Alex Phillips*, Robert Rowland, Belinda De Camborne Lucy, James Bartholomew, Christopher Ellis, John Kennedy, Matthew Taylor, George Farmer, Peter Wiltshire (Meet Our Candidates, Youtube Introductions can be found here)

Video: Brexit Party Election Broadcast

EU Manifesto: A manifesto is not expected to be released until after the EU elections. Nigel Farage has made some comments indicating that he doesn’t like the idea of manifestos in general, so policy information for the Brexit Party may come in a different form. In the meantime, voters are likely to vote for the Brexit Party either on a single-issue basis (‘Leave the EU’) or out of trust in/respect for Nigel Farage.

EU Group: Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (Chair: Nigel Farage)

*There an 'Alex Philips' running for The Brexit Party and an 'Alexandra Phillips' running for the Green Party.  Both are women with the first name Alexandra (and both can be found making election broadcasts under that name on social media)

Liberal Democrats - https://www.libdems.org.uk

"We passionately believe that Britain is stronger as part of the European Union and we have led the fight to give the people the final say on the Brexit deal. The Liberal Democrats’ vision for Britain is a country that has remained at the heart of a dynamic European Union. A country where everyone can afford somewhere to live, in a safe, clean and friendly neighbourhood. A country where high-quality health and social care, good-quality childcare, lifelong education, reliable transport and clean air are all part of a contract between government and citizens." (Source)

Party Leader: Sir Vince Cable (outgoing)

Candidate List: Catherine Bearder, Antony Hook, Judith Bunting, Martin Tod, Liz Leffman, Chris Bowers, Giles Goodall, Ruvi Ziegler, Nick Perry, John Vincent (Candidate List)

Election Video: Demand Better than Brexit

EU Manifesto: Liberal Democrat manifesto for Europe

EU Group: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (Chair: Guy Verhofstadt)

Labour - https://labour.org.uk/

"Labour has put forward an alternative plan to seek a close and cooperative relationship with the European Union, including a new comprehensive customs union with a UK say, close single market alignment, guaranteed rights and standards, and the protection of the Good Friday peace agreement in Northern Ireland. We believe such a deal could bring our country back together and deliver on the result of the referendum. However, the Government has refused to listen and compromise. They have spent more of the last three years arguing among themselves than negotiating a good deal for the people of Britain. ... if we can’t get agreement along the lines of our alternative plan, or a general election, Labour backs the option of a public vote." (Source)

Party Leader: Jeremy Corbyn

Candidate List: John Howarth, Cathy Shutt, Arran Neathey, Emma Turnbull, Rohit Dasgupta, Amy Fowler, Duncan Enright, Lubna Arshad, Simon Burgess, Rachael Ward (Candidate List)

Election Video: It's just common sense

EU Campaign Website: Transforming Britain and Europe for the many, not the few.

EU Manifesto: Transforming Britain and Europe: for the many not the few

EU Group: Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (Chair: Udo Bullmann )

Conservative - https://www.conservatives.com/

"The people have spoken and have decided that the UK should leave the European Union. Our job now as Conservative MEPs is to help secure a deal that safeguards Britain’s best interests while maintaining the best possible relations with our European partners. So long as Britain is a member of the EU Conservative MEPs will remain fully engaged, contributing to legislation, voting in Parliament and representing our country and constituents. In the longer term we will not turn our back on Europe. We will continue to trade with the EU and co-operate in important areas such as security." (Source: Ashley Fox MEP)

Party Leader: Theresa May

Candidate List: Daniel Hannan, Nirj Deva, Richard Robinson, Mike Whiting, Juliette Ash, Anna Firth, Adrian Pepper, Clarence Mitchell, Neva Sadikoglu-Novaky, Caroline Newton (Candidate List)

EU Campaign Website: Conservatives in the European Parliament

EU Group: European Conservatives and Reformists (Chair: Syed Kamall )

Green - https://www.greenparty.org.uk/

"A vote for the Green Party in these elections is a vote to: » Remain in the EU, through putting the question of Brexit back to the people and mobilising a positive, pro-European movement to win the People’s Vote for Remain. » Recharge the fight against climate change, by electing MEPs who know we need to act now to save our wildlife, our environment and ultimately our planet from catastrophe. » Rebuild our communities through dedicated work in the UK and across borders, to restore opportunities and address inequality. While our public services were dismantled by privatisation, our communities hollowed out by corporations and our wallets emptied by bankers, Europe was wrongly presented as the cause of these problems by the Leave campaign. These problems are very real, but leaving Europe is not the answer. Europe is part of the solution." (Source)

Party Leader: Jonathan Bartley and Siân Berry

Candidate List: Alexandra Phillips*, Elise Benjamin, Vix Lowthion, Leslie Groves Williams, Phelim Mac Cafferty, Jan Doerfel, Larry Sanders, Isabella Moir, Oliver Sykes, Jonathan Essex (Candidate List and email addresses)

Election Video: European Elections Broadcast

EU Campaign Website: Greens For A Better Europe / European Greens

EU Manifesto: Euro Election Manifesto

EU Group: The Greens–European Free Alliance (Chair: Philippe Lamberts and Ska Keller)

**There an 'Alex Philips' running for The Brexit Party and an 'Alexandra Phillips' running for the Green Party.  Both are women with the first name Alexandra (and both can be found making election broadcasts under that name on social media)

Change UK - https://voteforchange.uk/

"We want to provide an alternative – one based on the values which we know matter to the British people: a strong economy, our country playing a leading role in the world, protecting our environment, investing in our public services and building a vibrant, healthy democracy where we campaign for our beliefs with decency and respect. At these European elections, that alternative will be on the ballot paper. Where our broken main parties offer you division, we are united. Where they focus on internal arguments, our vision for Britain’s future is clear. Where they put their own narrow political interest first, we will always put the country first. The Brexit process has divided our country for too long. It has stifled the debate and prevented us from focusing on the real challenges we need to solve. We can’t wait any longer. Send our broken main parties a message: It’s time for change. Vote for Change UK." (Source)

Party Leader: Heidi Allen (interim)

Candidate List: Richard Ashworth, Victoria Groulef, Warren Morgan, Eleanor Fuller, Robin Bextor, Nicholas Mazzei, Suzana Carp, Phil Murphy, Heather Allen, Diane Yeo (Candidate List with candidate profiles and twitter accounts)

Election Video: Party Political Broadcast

EU Manifesto: Charter for Remain

EU Group: European People's Party (Chair: Manfred Weber)

UK Independence Party - https://www.ukip.org/

"Reasons for voting UKIP on 23rd May 2019. ● UKIP achieved and won the Referendum of 2016. ● UKIP stands for Brexit and an independent  democratic Britain governed under its own laws by its own Parliament and Government. ● UKIP is a party made up of ordinary, decent, patriotic people of many different origins and backgrounds. ● A vote for UKIP is a vote against uncontrolled and unlimited immigration. ● UKIP supports our Armed Forces and Veterans. ● UKIP stands against political correctness and for free speech." (Source)

Party Leader: Gerard Batten

Candidate List: Piers Wauchope, Liz Philips, Daryll Pitcher, Martin Brothers, Tony Gould, Clive Egan, Troy De Leon, Alan Stone, Judy Moore, Patricia Mountain (Candidate List)

Election Video: Make Brexit Happen

EU Manifesto: EU Manifesto

EU Group: 3/4 UKIP MEPs are a member of Europe of Nations and Freedom (Chair: Nicolas Bay and Marcel de Graaff ) [remaining MEP is Non-Inscrits]

The Socialist Party of Great Britain - https://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/

“The way people are going on about it you would think Brexit was the only issue. But what about global warming, wars and the threat of war, mass population movements and, nearer home, growing inequalities, unaffordable housing and a crumbling heath service? These problems arise from the capitalist system of ownership by the few and production for profit. Capitalism exists in the EU and would still exist in a Brexit Britain. So, as far as most people are concerned, it doesn’t matter either way [heckled]. In or Out, the same problems are going to continue. The way-out is not some change — or not — in Britain’s trading arrangements but in replacing capitalism with common ownership, democratic control and production to satisfy people’s needs not profit.”  (Source)

Candidate List: Mandy Bruce, Raymond Carr, David Chesham, Robert Cox, Michael Foster, Stephen Harper, Neil Kirk, Anton Pruden, Andrew Thomas-Emans, Darren Williams (Candidate List)

Blog Post: What we say about Brexit

UK European Union Party - https://theukeuparty.org/

“We stand for a kinder, gentler politics, and have one aim: to stop Brexit. We intend to become the only mainstream political party in the UK to stand for returning the country to the European Union. In the longer term, The UK EU Party’s aim will be to contest any future UK General Election as the same ‘one policy, one purpose’ party, maintaining European Union membership as a central issue. This is the party’s raison d’être, but we also stand for a broader, inclusive, centrist form of politics. As with the six million Remainers who backed the recent Petition to Revoke Article 50, and the one million people who took to the streets of London for The People’s March last month, those behind UKEUP have decided to act after seeing the chaos caused by the British Government and Opposition since the EU Referendum in 2016. Who are The UK EU Party and why should the British public care?" (Source)

Party Leader: Pierre Kirk

Candidate List: Pacelli Ndikumana, Clinton Powell (Candidate Profiles)

(candidate profiles)

Election Video: Welcome to the EU UK Party

EU Manifesto: A Fresh Voice: Safeguard All Our Futures!

Independent - not on a list

Jason McMahon - https://www.facebook.com/JasonMcMahonMEP/

Michael Turberville - http://www.turberville.eu/

David Round - http://www.haslemereherald.com/article.cfm?id=135774