Online petition bid to end European Parliament's travelling circus

5.05.09pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 16th May 2006

Local Euro MP Diana Wallis is backing calls for the European Union to end the expensive monthly relocation of the European Parliament to Strasbourg.

MEPs have no control over this as the Strasbourg 'jaunt' is enshrined in EU treaties. Only the 25 EU Governments can change it and Liberal Democrat Diana Wallis hopes public opinion could be enough to force those governments to concede. She asks constituents to go to www.oneseat.eu and sign an online petition where many thousands across Europe have already signed.

She said: "Maintaining two huge parliament buildings is an unnecessary drain on the region's taxpayers' money. It is time to end this travelling circus."

Attached photo shows Diana Wallis MEP amongst some of the many hundreds of trunks which have to be shipped from Brussels to Strasbourg every month and which contain all the papers which MEPs and administrators need.