It's just dawned on me that we've elected 28 MEPs who don't want to be in the EU, to go to the EU

[DockerDre]

How is that going to play out?

Will they refuse to take their seats?

Or will they go to the EU and rant and rave?

I'm not sure really what the point of them is?

Have they any negotiating power on Brexit? Or will they just vote down any and every EU proposal?

It could be quite disruptive for the rest of the EU?

It's like going to the party of someone you hate lol.

No, they will be exactly the same as UKIP- turn up to trouser whatever salary and expenses are available (and falsely claim a bit on top); go to votes where they get an opportunity to bleat slogans and hurl insults at the MEPs who are taking their jobs seriously; swagger around Brussels with their far-right mates; claim to really care about issues affecting UK but never turn up to the committees that actually deal with the legislation around these sectors.

They won’t go anyway, and they have no policies.

There’s more MEPs elected here who WILL go and who DO have policies.

If they rant....well I can remember a certain Nigel doing that and saying that none of the members had ever done a proper days work in their lives.....while standing directly in front of a cardiac surgeon whose work is far more valuable then anything Nige has ever done.

Apart from that it’s all meaningless as only about a third of the electorate turned out to vote and Nige’s party took less than half of that vote. I suspect he is celebrating somewhat prematurely.

True. A few EU trips for them I suppose.

They are not part of UK government so have no negotiating power on Brexit. At most, they could have hoped that their vote share would send a "strong message" etc etc but, in fact, it wasn't as good as predicted/leaves them in same territory as UKIP which they replaced. It has also been counterbalanced by a vote that is at least as strong (if not stronger) for parties supporting Remain.

I've a finger in 2 pies so to speak. One here, one in an EU country. I don't really want them disrupting EU business to be honest. We've enough of that shit here.

I'm not sure that they thought as far as actually getting elected. Now what do they do?

I think that if the UK leaves they will hardly have taken their seats by October, forgetting when new session commences. Not sure of the official line on this.
Not all UK MEPs will be fuckwit wastrels like Farage and in any case, they are debating and then voting with nearly 700 others so apart from potential embarrassment factor harm would be limited.
Most UK MEPs were good and conscientious, from the various UK 'party' viewpoints and it ought to continue.

Farage was 'in charge of fishing' for some of his term. As he preferred the bar rather than proper debate he was instrumental in losing fishing quotas which was a significant blow to the UK fishermen.
Inattention to detail cost the UK, not the EU fishermen, how patriotic?

It’s an embarrassment to the country🤦‍♀️

Well the role of the EU parliament is to give the overall structure some democratic legitimacy. Allegedly. It has done legislative powers etc but it’s not really the case that they will be in a position to do much. In practice I doubt they will have much of an impact on EU politics. The point seems to be more to send a message to the Conservative party. Although who knows. Maybe they will close ranks with the ‘Europe of nations’ lot and provide support on those issues.

Farage turned up for one meeting of the fishing committee. And he still got paid his salary. Fucking waste of time electing someone who refuses to do their job. Probably voted in my people that rant against "benefit scroungers" too

Yes, we’re idiots, but we already had 24 MEPs doing this anyway. You f they wanted to put their money where there mouth is and actually start holding the EU to account for whatever it is they think they need to be held account for it might be an issue. In all likelihood they’re just going to pocket the salary and not bother turning up so nobody will notice.

They don’t have any negotiating power on Brexit because a) they’re MEPs, b) they’re not conservative MEPs, c) unless we want to take a radically different position on Brexit wrt CU & SM then Brexit negotiations are over.

One of them already lives in France, so he won't have too far to travel.

Wasn’t it the EU who made us take part in the EU elections? Could Theresa May have refused and then we wouldn’t have had any MPs representing the UK until we left. That would have been a great idea.

{Wasn’t it the EU who made us take part in the EU elections?}

I am not picking on you particularly but this is an illustration of the lack of knowledge of what the EU does and how it does it.
The UK is member of a large and very influential trade and more importantly citizen focused 'bloc' with a stated aim to improve the life experience of all citizens.
This is obviously a very bold mission statement and problems occur, but that is what WE are striving for.
The UK MEPs have been instrumental in many of the treaties and 'laws' that the EU enacts, a lot of which are as 'dull as dishwater' to most unless you look properly. The UK MSM and 'Eurosceptics' are quick to point out any 'failings', mainly due to a 'meanness of spirit' possibly rooted in the weird 'British' mentality that they should be in charge and are less prepared to be collaborative.

Thus to answer this specific point, the EU elections for MEPs was due this weekend (it's a 5 year cycle) and as the UK has failed to decide whether it wants to be 'in or out' it is necessary to elect MEPs to represent the UK IF the UK does not leave.
The EU runs on published rules and timetables otherwise chaos would ensue.

That's why the EU wanted us out before the MEP elections.

{Could Theresa May have refused and then we wouldn’t have had any MPs representing the UK until we left}

It would not have been necessary if the UK could get it's shit together.

{That's why the EU wanted us out before the MEP elections.}

That is a negative view. The EU wanted the UK to make it's mind up what the hell it wants. So far after 3 years the UK has said what it doesn't want which means that no one can plan for anything.

No, TM couldn't have refused. As a member of the EU, you have to abide by the rules. Which Britain doesn't like..............

{Which Britain doesn't like..}

With the added irony that A50 was drafted by the UK, and much of EU legislation originated from the UK.

NF has been pocketing his salary without attending votes for years so there's no reason why the ither Brexit Party MEPs won't do the same.

Now one could argue that perhaps he should have spent his time influencing decisions that would benefit the UK, but no. All that guff he spouted about supporting the British fishing industry? He was on the EP fisheries committee and didn't bother turning up to any meeting or votes where he could have made a difference to UK fishing rights. It beggars belief that people actually vote for this super wealthy, self-serving twat to line his pockets yet further while doing absolutely nothing to earn his salary.

I can see Ann Widdecombe turning up and actually putting in some graft, although the other MEPs may prefer she didn't.

NF has been pocketing his salary without attending votes for years so there's no reason why the ither Brexit Party MEPs won't do the same.

True

Except for the Brexit MEP who already lives in the EU.

The purpose of all MEPs is to represent their own country's views on the various topics. Through proper debate and vote, with the options of a veto/opt outs as necessary things can progress.
Apart from being a waste of money, UK MEPs who 'mess about' will simply disadvantage the UK. Who loses?

I'm surprised you only just realised this Docker!
Hopefully we will be out of the EU before they have to take their seats.
But if they do then they have every right to speak on behalf of the electret who voted for them and put forward their views.