Thursday, June 4, is when polling takes place for the county council and European parliamentary elections.

While we in West Sussex, like the rest of Britain, are mainly engrossed in the shenanigans of many of our Westminster MPs, it shouldn't be forgotten that the allowances/expenses enjoyed by being a member of the European Parliament have for years been a running sore on the democratic process.

This election-time around, I've no doubt this issue will be much more in voters' minds.

As MPs from all the main parties are embroiled in the Westminster expenses controversy, it's intriguing to consider who will be the main beneficiaries of any protest vote in both the county and Euro elections.

Hotly tipped to do well in the booths are the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), with other, fringe, hopefuls being the Green Party, British National Party (BNP) and the English Democrats.

The UKIP county council campaign objectives must be limited by the fact that it is fielding only 34 candidates, compared with the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties, which are each nominating around 70 candidates.

Although Worthing homes have been subject to a BNP leaflet drop, this party is not contesting any of the borough's eight electoral divisions.

Twenty county seats are being contested by the BNP, two of them in Littlehampton, while the Green Party is fighting 14 county seats.

But UKIP, the BNP and the Greens are all fielding the maximum of 10 candidates in the South East Region European parliamentary poll.

A few weeks ago, I wouldn't have bet on major surprises in the June 4 elections.

But this expenses rumpus is turning established conceptions on their heads, as shown by the astonishing shambles of Monday's (May 18) Commons statement by Speaker Michael Martin.

Voters' fury at how many MPs have cheated their constituents has really got through to the "Honourable Members" – and it showed in the members' overt and covert lack of support for the embattled Speaker, who bowed to the inevitable on Tuesday (May 19) by announcing his coming resignation.

While on Monday the fears and uncertainty of Speaker Martin showed only too plainly via his face and demeanour, I'm sure similar feelings were being concealed by some members who have been only too happy to a ride on the gravy train conducted by the Speaker over the past few years.

My message to electors in 14 days' time is, don't shrug your shoulders on the grounds of "they're all the same as each other, so it's not worth bothering to vote".

Make your mark on the paper, in protest or otherwise.

Why wait until a General Election next year to make your voice heard?


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