So after all the talk of expenses, sleaze and massive protest votes the election went off with the usual apathy that symbolises a European Election.

Less than 35% of the eligible voters came out and put their cross in the box, yet we hear talk in the media of a massive victory for the Conservatives and UKIP, so I thought it was time the results were put in context.

The Conservatives managed to convince just 10% of the electorate to vote for them, and with this underwhelming vote of confidence are representing us with 25 MEPs, second place goes to UKIP who with just 6% of the public vote get 13 MEPs, and poor old Labour gets knocked into third place with just under 6% of the vote and get 13 MEPs.

These are not figures any of us should be proud of, in a democracy we need to use our vote to make a difference, we now have 25 Conservative MEPs when 90% of the people in the UK didn’t vote for them.

This wasn’t a victory for the Conservatives or UKIP, it was a show of just how many people are totally disillusioned with our political system.

Sick of sleaze, dodgy expense claims and MPs/MEPs who just don’t represent you?

Then it is time for a change, not just a change of personnel but a change in the whole system, a vote for the Jury Team will get you a representative who is not a professional politician, instead it will get you someone who is independent of all the political parties, someone who does not bow to any party whip, someone who really cares.

The new line-up is ready take a look at www.juryteamsouthwest.eu for full details of how we are different.

Yet again we have had a week of news stories about MPs expenses, Margaret Beckett was seen on BBCs Question Time trying to justify her claim for hanging baskets, it’s OK though as she said it was a mistake and she would give the money back, and we are just supposed to accept that and do nothing more?

If Margaret Beckett was caught walking out of a supermarket with a bag full of shopping that she haden’t paid for, how do you think the Judge would  react to her excuse that she had made a mistake?

Our politicians need to be honest and decent people, offering to pay back money they have obtained by fraud is just not good enough, anyone who has “made a mistake” where they have benefited financially should be sacked, there is no other occupation that would accept this, and as their employers there is no reason why we should accept this.

The only way to put an end to this disgraceful behaviour is to vote for someone who is not already a part of this establishment of sleaze, it is time to make our voices (and our votes) count and vote for the Jury Team, independent candidates from outside of the political establishment.

The Jury Team started just a few short weeks ago has in its first primary elections exceeded 10,000 votes.

This is a fantastic achievement in such a short space of time, and it shows that there is an appetite for real political change in this country.

For the last few weeks the mainstream press have refused to report on the Jury Team primaries, so using the power of the Internet, Jury Team candidates have managed to wage online campaigns in an attempt to bring their message to the public.

The Jury Team has managed to attract enough candidates to fill every seat in the next European Parliament with a new breed of representative, one that is not fettered by the chains of the party system, a truly Independent representative of the people.

The contest is not over yet, you can still vote right up until Midnight on Friday the 24th April 2009, just use your mobile phone and text the word ROGWHO01 to 86837 and show your support for change.

It seems that Gordon Brown thinks that the best way to deal with the expenses row is to just give cash to all MPs, under new proposals MPs will receive a daily payment for just turning up, no receipts, no checks and balances, just cash straight into their pockets; and he call this progress.

Currently the second home allowance is worth a whopping £23,000 a year to an MP, although MP’s do have to provide some receipts to substantiate their claims; the new system that Gordon proposes to replace the second homes allowance will see £170 per day going to MPs, with no need for receipts or any form of evidence of expense incurred, this adds up to a potential additional income of £25,500 a year for every MP. Well done Gordon you have just proposed a huge wage rise for all MPs, and you expect us to believe this is in our best interests.

It is obvious to everyone that the second homes allowance is open to widespread abuse, but changing it for a free cash giveaway is not the answer, but I suppose it is what we have come to expect from our self serving politicians.

I would think that the solution is obvious, MPs need to be re-imbursed for legitimate expenses, these expenses can be easily defined as the cost of accommodation close to Westminster if their normal residence is more than 30 miles from Westminster, this immediately cuts out claims for their main residence and lays down strict limits.

We must end this culture of sleaze where MPs believe it is normal to bend the rules for their own financial gain, so anyone that receives a Grace and Favour residence immediately loses the right to claim the second home allowance.

Expenses are not income, they should not be used to make a profit, so if an MP wants to purchase a second home near Westminster they should be able to claim back only the interest portion of their mortgage, not the full payment on a repayment mortgage, not stamp duty and certainly not legal fees.

If an MP was to rent a furnished apartment near Westminster I would have no problem with that MP being able to claim back that rent up to the current limits, however if that MP decided to purchase an apartment of house then I can see no reason why the taxpayer should be asked to furnish the house or pay for any repairs or renovations.

The rules should be simple, a common sense approach giving MPs a strict set of rules, administered by an independent body, with the guiding principles of fairness to the tax payer and no financial gain to the MP.

Only when we vote people in to office who truly believe in these principles will the system change for the better, these problems exsist not just in the House of Commons but also in the European Parliament, we need real change now, help me to make that change by using your vote in the European Elections and vote for an independent candidate.

A British member of the European Parliament has been charged with false accounting and money laundering.

Tom Wise, 60, from Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, was elected for UKIP in 2004 but is now sitting as an Independent MEP for East Anglia.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the UK police inquiry followed a news report in 2005 concerning Mr Wise’s use of allowances.

The MEP has been charged along with his then researcher Lindsay Jenkins.

Both are accused of one count of false accounting and one count of money laundering.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between October 2004 and September 2005.

Derek Frame, from the CPS, said: “Following the publication of a news article in October 2005 relating to Mr Wise and Ms Jenkins, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) began an investigation into Mr Wise’s use of allowances.

“OLAF subsequently passed the investigation to Bedfordshire Police Economic Crime Unit for investigation. ”

Mr Wise, who represents Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, is one of seven MEPs who cover the eastern region.

Mr Wise and Ms Jenkins are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 27 April.

The primary selection phase is almost over, but I still need your support, I am currently only 20 votes short of being selected.

Please show your support by texting ROGWHI01 to 86837 before Friday.

Help me to fight against inappropriate EU legislation and corrupt expense claims.

In the 2004 European Elections the BNP received  43,653 votes in the south west.

The BNP are shunned by the media and other political parties, yet they still gain support.

If you are thinking of making a protest vote then make your protest count, don’t lend your vote to the BNP, lend it to an independent candidate.

As an Independent candidate I will fight for common sense, I make a stand against the European gravy train and I will support my constituents, free from any party politics and free from racism.

It is clear that the majority of people have no real interest in the European Parliament, I am sure there are many reasons why people are disinterested but the feeling that the European Parliament makes stupid laws and undermines our Government is certainly at the top of most peoples lists, this is not helped by the perception that the system is a corrupt gravy train that only exists to make MEP’s rich.

I am not going to defend the European Parliament against these allegations, I believe that there is a certain amount of truth in them.

What I will say is that it does not have to be this way, I cannot see any way that we can obtain widespread political reform within the European Parliament via our MEP’s, this is because our MEP’s are all selected by their political masters; the European Election list system, means an MEP that disagrees with his/her  political party can be dropped down the list into an unwinnable position, this is why they do as they are told. Turkeys will never vote for Christmas.

But as I have already said, there is another way; if we cannot force our MEP’s to change the system, then we can force change from within the system, to do this we need to fill the European Parliament with people who do not bend to party political pressure; change has to come from within. Voting for any of the mainstream parties will leave things just as they are, not voting will have exactly the same effect.

I can guarantee that every withheld vote is as valuable the the main parties as an actual vote, by not voting you may as well have actually voted either Conservative or Labour, because the outcome will be the same.

There is only one way to make your voice heard and that is to vote for Independent Candidates; every vote we receive is valuable.  You are not just voting for fresh people in Europe, but you will also be sending an important message to the very top of our political system, showing all politicians from all parties that you are not prepared to allow them to continue feathering their own nests at our expense. Do not underestimate the influence you have here;your vote is a powerful tool, but like all tools it is only any good if you use it.

Now is the time for change, support me in my fight to bring transparency and accountability back into our political system, to show your support please text ROGWHI01 to 86837, and register a vote for democracy.

The British National Party recently reported:- “British National Party supporters in North Somerset packed out a hall in Weston Super Mare last Sunday for the largest meeting yet held in that town, reports regional organiser Andy Bamford.

“The enthusiastic audience listened to a great line-up of speakers, including our special guest Mr Peter Strudwick, former Tory Westminster Councillor who has joined the BNP,” Mr Bamford said.”

This certainly shows that people are sick and tired of the usual parties, but I must ad a cautionary note, the BNP are an extreme right wing  party, they use peoples fear and prejudice to gain support, their agenda is extreme, offensive and often racist.

There is another way; to the people of Weston Super Mare I say, don’t be sucked in by the BNP, if you want real political change, if you want politicians that represent your views, and if you want politicians that stand for fairness and democracy then vote for an Independent.

As an Independent Candidate in the Euro Elections I need your support, please text ROGWHI01 to  86837 and register a vote for Democracy.