Why is Farage at the European Parliament?

[redpickle]

Why does he have a seat there? What's his official role? I don't understand how his is able to speak and represent the UK? He's so embarrassing but I just don't understand the set-up.

Can anyone explain?

because he has been elected as mep.

for once he's attending and not just collecting expenses

He represents the South East of England, he does not represent the UK.
He got that position because he was elected by a majority of people in that area, presumably they agree with his views and likes the opinions he takes in the EU Parliament.

Ah ok - I didn't realise he'd been elected! I thought he'd lost his seat but I guess that was just as an MP.

Goes off to shoot self. How depressing.

presumably they agree with his views and likes the opinions he takes in the EU Parliament.

Or, more likely, it's because only 35% of the voting population bothers to turn out to vote in EU elections and voter apathy causes people like Farage to be elected.

redpickle - please vote in ALL elections (local, EU as well as General) to avoid further danger of contamination by odious beer-swilling, fag-smoking dickheads.

Well, obviously we may have seen our last EU election in this country...

I thought he'd lost his seat but I guess that was just as an MP.

He has never had a seat as an MP in the UK parliament.

He never lost a seat as an MP because despite seven attempts he has never won. It has to be said, that there was some skulduggery in the seat he did stand in last time, with a strong whiff of electoral fraud lingering around the Tories.

I am in the South East constituency and I DID NOT PUT HIM IN, or that twerp Hannan either. I helped to put the Green and Lib Dem candidates in.

at least Nigel Farage attends ...

So he can get his 85k a year salary. Or can he still get that even if he doesn't turn up?

at least Nigel Farage attends ...

Only to jeer and goad. As a member of the fisheries committee he attended once out of 42 times. He then has the gall to pontificate about the EU fisheries policy. If he had done his job properly, he might have been able to influence the direction of the policy.

Only one person in the EU Parliament has a worse voting record than Nigel Farage

www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/only-one-person-eu-parliament-8302643

Farage’s voting record on fishing ‘makes mockery’ of new election poster

www.greenpeace.org.uk/media/press-releases/farage%E2%80%99s-voting-record-fishing-%E2%80%98makes-mockery%E2%80%99-new-election-poster-20150408

BonnyScotland slow hand clap...

There is only one MEP with a WORSE attendance record than Farage

I think my policy of turning off the TV or turning any page that has his face on means I don't know what the hell he's up to. Last I heard he wanted his life back.

I'm not generally ignorant about politics and I do vote 🙄

Electing MEPs is done via proportion representation as explained rather charmingly here. As it happens in South East of England UKIP did receive most votes and so had more MEPs for the region than the Conservatives.

However, two went independent since the 2014 election as shown here - not sure how that is possible when they have not been voted for personally but on a party ticket. So currently the region has two UKIP MEPs, Farage being one, three Tories, two independent, and one each of Labour, Green and Lib Dem.

OP you may have been thinking of Douglas Carswell, UKIP's only MP, who has defected again, this time away from UKIP to be an independent.

hahahaaaa yer welcome ....

Because he's a massive hypocrite

Or, more likely, it's because only 35% of the voting population bothers to turn out to vote in EU elections

OK more people voted or didn't care that he represented them than voted differently.

Brian Crowley, the MEP with Farage had been ill.

"A spokesman for Mr Crowley, who has been confined to Cork University Hospital due to illness, said the Cork MEP was unable to travel to Brussels or Strasbourg but intended to do so when his health allowed.
He is also continuing to participate in European Parliament work through his office in Cork, the spokesman said."

www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/attendance-rate-of-irish-meps-at-european-parliament-improves-1.2642815

So, if you take away real reasons for not being able to attend, Farage may still win that wooden spoon.

with a WORSE ATTENDANCE than Farage

Although, even "being unable to attend votes due to illness" "sympathy is wearing thin for Brian Crowley" who it says is "determined to see out his 5 year term." And 'there are calls for him to resign his seat"

Behind a pay wall, but headline is there.

www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/attendance-rate-of-irish-meps-at-european-parliament-improves-1.2642815

Nobody ever seemed to care that Farage wasn't doing his bit to represent the UK. And no calls for him to resign his seat because of it.

Yes Farage has really worked hard for his salary over the 20 years he has been there.

Actually I think the whole Leave campaign appealed to certain demographics more because it used the language you use to people who are down on their luck, "take back control" etc.

Its funny that a loser, who started with such a large advantage in life, has led the campaign that appeals to losers.

www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/attendance-rate-of-irish-meps-at-european-parliament-improves-1.2642815

Sorry, wrong link in last post!