John Bufton MEP

If local elections are like litmus for the mid term popularity of a government then the Presidential and General Elections in France and Greece have been clear indicators of the growing unpopularity of the European Union. The picture emerging from recent elections on the continent is one of ballot box rebellion...

On going trade talks between the EU and the Mercosur group of nations in South America pose a serious threat to the profits of Welsh farmers.

Today the European Commission will announce a 6.8% increase in budget - equivalent to €138 billion extra. This is truly extraordinary when the majority of member states (25 out of 27, excluding the Czech Repubic and the UK who refused to sign up to the latest 'non-EU treaty' financial pact) are under mandate to enforce austerity measures imposed by Brussels. How then can the EU defend such an enormous hike in its own budget?

We all know by now the problem with overfishing, depleting stocks and discards. It has become a recently widely reported scandal the effect EU Common Fisheries Policy has on our waters. I was staggered therefore to learn a while ago that the European Commission has taken upon themselves to go above the law and determine fisheries management without even consulting Parliament. The only two bodies of water where fish stocks are being rejuvenated and an economically viable industry is being reconstructed are those controlled by Norway and Iceland. Yes, non-EU member states.

UKIP MEPs in the European Parliament have taken a relatively high level of interest in this issue, which is an attack on personal freedom and a restriction on the most liberating of modern forms of private road transport. It is for these reasons that the EU wishes to ultimately control and regulate motorcycles off the road by making life expensive and difficult for the biker,

The tragedy unfolding in Greece has escalated to such a stage now that I am increasingly concerned by pan-European complicity in the austerity measures planned to save the Euro - a currency nobody wanted - which are putting so many human lives at stake.

The loss of Gary Speed is an utter tragedy. He was a superb footballer and later in his career a fantastic manager.

Welsh MEP supports biker protest against EU regulations