Since starting my new life as an MEP I have been asked by
both family (including my 7 year old niece!) and friends just what it all
involves. It therefore seemed timely to write a piece about my life as an MEP.
Firstly, I have quickly learnt that there is no such
thing as a typical day. Secondly, there
are many misunderstandings about the life of an MEP. It does not, for example,
mean that I have moved back to Brussels.
Typically I’m there 8 to 10 days a month.
It is also not the case that I am now well acquainted
with Business class on British Airways.
I became an MEP 6 months ago and I'm yet to fly in the line of duty! I
travel, like other MEPs from the north, from home to Brussels (5 hours, 2
trains) and Strasbourg (8 hours, 3 trains) taking advantage of high speed rail
travel. Not only is this less damaging to the environment, but I find it a less
stressful and more productive way to travel.
Being an MEP is a job of two halves; working both in your
region and the parliament. There is thus always the need to balance the demands
of both sides of the role.
Given the nature of the work, and the long hours
involved, none of my work could be possible without support, and I have an
excellent team in both the region (Angela, an office manager/caseworker and
Mike, a communications officer) and Brussels (Sam who manages the Brussels
diary and helps me with environment committee work and Marzena (Maz) who supports
me on the legal affairs committee). There is also currently Daniel, a recent
graduate from North Yorkshire who has a 6 month (paid) internship.
So what exactly does an MEP do?
The work in the region includes dealing with casework
from constituents – such as assistance to apply for EU funding, or supporting
local community groups. It involves
meeting and supporting regional businesses, trade bodies and interest
groups. I have also attended and spoken
at community and business events. There
is also the media work, promoting my work or that of the party in the
region. I am also keen to work alongside
fellow Liberal Democrats on their campaigns.
In parliament my committee work has seen me take a lead
on a number of key issues. These have varied
from cross border health issues, dealing with flooding and supporting the
effort to make big business more transparent about their tax affairs. This is with the added complication of having
the meetings occasionally timetabled at the same time and meaning I have to fly
(not literally!) from one to the other.
There is also a lot of group work, both within the
Liberal Democrat group and across the wider Liberal group for Europe, known as
the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe – ALDE. This is important, particularly for agreeing
common positions before we go into committee.
Just as in the region, in Brussels too I will often meet
with business or other groups or attend breakfast meetings, working lunches or
seminars. These can be any time of the
day, from first thing in the morning to last thing at night. There are also groups who will come to me to
lobby on behalf of a particular cause or campaign.
Contrary to popular belief, money/big business does not
always win the lobbying game. In September, the Legal Affairs Committee voted
in favour of requiring multinational companies to disclose their payments to
governments on a global basis, thus taking a position advocated by
Non-Governmental Organisations like Oxfam and Publish What You Pay, rather than
the view of large oil and mining companies.
An MEP's schedule does require a lot of moving around. I
can travel as frequently as every 4 days, so I have become an expert in packing
light! I spend 8-10 days a month in Brussels, 4 days per month in Strasbourg (a
ridiculous situation which I hope will end soon, see www.singleseat.eu for more info) and the
rest of the time (15 or so days) in the region.
When i am in the region, I work pretty much standard working
hours either in my Hull office or at home in Leeds, although I do regularly
have evening and weekend engagements. When I am in the Parliament (in Brussels
or Strasbourg), days tend to be long; they can start as early as 0745 and go on
until 1900 or 2000. My Brussels staff do their best to make sure that my time
is well used, so my diary can be a bit jam packed sometimes.
As you can see it's a very varied and usually very
interesting role. It means working all
hours, depending on the demands of the time.
It is certainly rather difficult to get bored. I also get to see many
parts of the region that I perhaps would not visit otherwise and to meet people
from all walks of life with a point to make (even if I don't always agree with
them!).
So for those people who wonder what an MEP does, the
answer is not straightforward and depends on just what part of the continent
they are in at the time. Hopefully,
however, this sheds a little light on the matter!
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