Lib Dem MEP 'obsessive about voting'

10.18.05am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 24th May 2004

East Midlands Lib Dem Euro-MP Bill Newton Dunn has been labelled 'obsessive about voting' by his Tory rival Roger Helmer in a column written for the Guardian online on 21 May.

Bill Newton Dunn was surprised that the comment was used as a criticism: "Shouldn't every elected representative be obsessive about voting? Voting is the most important part of seeing that the people's views are well represented in the parliament. I have the best attendance record of all the UK MEPs - isn't that the kind of person who people in the East Midlands want to represent them?"

The comment referred to the Lib Dem claim that 'Conservative MEPS failed to turn up for vital votes on Europe'. Bill Newton Dunn cited one example: "The most important liberalising measure of this parliament in July 2001 was lost on a tied vote. The Takeover Directive would have made it as easy for British firms to take over from continental ones as vice versa but two Tory MEPs failed to turn up in time for the vote."

ENDS