'Gravy train' remains in Brussels this week

11.31.47am GMT Mon 1st Sep 2008

A damaged roof has meant that the monthly trek of MEPs from their base in Brussels to Strasbourg has been cancelled this week but local Liberal Democrat Euro MP Diana Wallis is not complaining.

Treaty rules mean that MEPs have to meet in the French city 12 times a year for their plenary sessions. However, part of the ceiling in the Strasbourg chamber collapsed over the summer and has only just been repaired meaning that the trip to Strasbourg planned for this week has been cancelled. Instead the European Parliament will meet in its normal base in Brussels.

Many MEPs are delighted not to have to make the trek to Strasbourg. Diana Wallis MEP is a member of the Campaign for Parliamentary Reform and has been fighting for an end to this monthly slog.

"The so-called 'travelling circus' down to Strasbourg is both expensive and environmentally damaging so I and many of my colleagues are delighted that we are staying in Brussels this week.

"I am hopeful that it will be such a success that it will start a meaningful debate about how we extract ourselves from the obligation to go to Strasbourg in the future!"