Letter: The cost of being in three places at once
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Readers of your news item 'MEPs balk at cost of 'musical chairs' ' (19 December) may have been surprised at the apparently small extra cost of the European Parliament's activities being scattered around three different countries. A typographical error had reduced millions to thousands.
Furthermore, my study of the extra costs, which was the subject of your report, gave (in millions) these figures only as conservative estimates of the extra cost in 1991. Looking ahead to the next five years, I estimate the total cost to European taxpayers at between pounds 516m and pounds 663m. Even these estimates do not take account of the plan by the French authorities to build a larger debating chamber in Strasbourg, with 1,800 new offices, at a cost of pounds 282m.
The decision by the heads of government at Edinburgh purporting to locate the parliament's activities permanently in three separate cities, with its secretariat not in either of the two cities where the parliament meets, is sheer financial profligacy. The parliament itself has repeatedly called for a single seat, and I am glad it has now rejected the legal right of the heads of government to impose this ridiculous decision upon it.
Yours faithfully,
PETER PRICE
MEP for London South-east (Con)
Chislehurst, Kent
22 December
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments