Our UKIP Euro-MP, Paul Nuttall, has been exposed as having the worst record of attendance at the European Parliament of the North West’s eight representatives. He claims that by not being present he is “standing up” for Britain, yet UKIP members for other regions have among the best attendance records in the Parliament so they must have a different view of the job. I rarely agree with what they say but I cannot fault their commitment. In his defence, Paul Nuttall often suggests that the European Parliament has no power. I can only suppose he has never read the Lisbon Treaty that he opposed so vociferously.

It gives MEPs equal powers with ministers to amend or reject EU laws. My experience is that the European Parliament secures changes in proposals from the European Commission more often than the House of Commons gets its way over the Government. Chris Davies, Liberal Democrat MEP, North West