What, When, Where & A Bit of Why: A Quick Guide To The European Elections

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales

You may have noticed the odd leaflet dropping through the door recently (mainly from UKIP) pointing us in the direction of the forthcoming European Election which takes place this Thursday.

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Turn out has been fairly low for European elections historically, in 2009 just over 30% of those registered to vote in Wales did so, compare that with 65.5% of voters in Deeside who turned out for the 2010 General Election, but then you would expect that sort of variance for a General election.

However, the EU elections are kind of important as the BBC’s Tomos Livingston explains;

‘Read the papers and you might be forgiven for thinking MEPs spent their time thinking up new laws about straight bananas or the size of olive oil jars.

In reality the parliament has significant powers, which now include the ability to veto the seven-year budget set by the leaders of the 28 member states.

If you have an issue with a European law, you can contact your MEP in the same way that you’d contact your AM for a devolved issue, or your MP for a Westminster matter.

As well as having a role in setting the budget and the EU’s spending priorities – including the billions of pounds in economic aid that come to Wales – MEPs decide EU-wide laws on issues like the environment, employment law and trade.’

The lead Labour Party candidate, Derek Vaughan, believes EU membership is vital for Wales, he said:

“Wales attracted over £1bn in inward investment projects in 2012 – a massive rise on the previous year, creating and safeguarding 7,500 jobs in Wales. If the UK were to leave the EU and these companies had to start paying trade tariffs, it would be naive to believe that access to these markets would remain.Vodafone, Ford, Airbus, Tata, GE, Nissan, Honda, Siemens, Citi Bank, BMW, Hitachi and many others have already expressed their concern about us leaving the EU.”

 Jill Evans MEP, lead candidate for Plaid Cymru, said:

“There is a huge amount at stake here. 150,000 Welsh jobs depend upon trade with the European Union. We get funding for investment, training and education, and to improve our infrastructure. Plaid Cymru wants an outward looking and confident Wales – creating sustainable jobs, a better healthcare service, a better educated workforce and a high standard of living.”

Dr Kay Swinburne, the Conservative Party lead candidate, believes public support for EU membership is strained she said;

“We understand and share people’s concerns about the European Union. Our businesses value the single market but they find the degree of interference in our everyday life excessive. Welsh Conservatives recognise that Wales benefits from its links with Europe as part of a strong United Kingdom. But we also know that people today feel the EU is heading a direction they never signed up to. Public support for Britain’s membership is strained.”

For a more in-depth look at the European election and the inner workings of the European parliament their website is worth read: www.elections2014.eu

 

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Voters in Deeside along with the rest of Wales will have one vote to cast and there will be 11 registered parties listed on the ballot paper.

The candidates will be elected by proportional representation so voters will not vote for individual candidates.

If you have lost your poll card, you are still entitled to vote providing your registered.

There will be 97 operating in Flintshire, a map of the Deeside locations is below, Polling stations will be open from 7 am until 10 pm.

Each of the 22 local authority areas in Wales will conduct their own counts on Sunday, 25th May, this is because voting in parts of mainland Europe takes place on that day. (which actually makes a lot of sense)

When the counts are completed local returning officers will inform the regional returning officer for Wales, Mr Bryn Parry-Jones, of the result of the count in their area. 

The result for the Wales electoral region will then be declared by Mr Parry-Jones on Sunday evening at Fishguard Leisure Centre. 

Local results will not be announced before 10pm on the 25th.

Polling Stations in Deeside.

 

Wales returns four MEPs, the second smallest region. In 2009 it returned one MEP each for Labour, the Conservatives, UKIP and Plaid Cymru.

 

Screenshot from 2014-05-19 20:27:26

Screenshot from 2014-05-19 20:28:30

 

Screenshot from 2014-05-19 20:29:24

Screenshot from 2014-05-19 20:29:58

Screenshot from 2014-05-19 20:30:40

Screenshot from 2014-05-19 20:31:18

Party Election Broadcast by the British National Party – broadcast on 12 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the UK Independence Party – broadcast on 13 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Britain First Party – broadcast on 13 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Scottish Green Party – broadcast on 14 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Scottish Liberal Democrat Party – broadcast on 15 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the No 2 EU Party – broadcast on 15 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Labour Party – broadcast on 16 May 2014

Party Election broadcast by the Labour Party – broadcast on 24 April 2014

Party Election broadcast by the UK Independence Party – broadcast on 23 April 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Conservative Party – broadcast on 22 April 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Welsh Conservative Party – broadcast on 22 April 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Welsh Labour Party – broadcast on 23 April 2014

Party Election Broadcast by Plaid Cymru – broadcast on 24 April 2014

Party Election Broadcast by UK Independence Party- broadcast on 25 April 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Liberal Democrat Party – broadcast on 25 April 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Green Party – broadcast on 28 April 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Welsh Liberal Democrat Party – broadcast on 28 April 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the British National Party – broadcast on 29 April 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the UK Independence Party – broadcast on 1 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the Labour Party – broadcast on 7 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by An Independence From Europe – broadcast on 8 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by Britain First – broadcast on 9 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the English Democrats – broadcast on 12 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by The Socialist Party of Great Britain – broadcast on 12 May 2014

Party Election Broadcast by the British National Party – broadcast on 13 May 2014

Screengrabs from http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/

additional content from:

BBC Wales.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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