VOTERS in Worcestershire, as well as the rest of the UK and Europe, are getting ready for the European Parliament elections.

The elections, taking place on May 22, will see 751 MEPs (down from the current 766) elected.

Under the 2009 Lisbon Treaty voters will also have more of a say in the appointment of the next Commission president.

The West Midlands constituency, comprising Worcestershire, returns seven MEPs (currently Philip Bradbourn OBE, Mike Nattrass, Michael Cashman, Malcolm Harbour, Phil Bennion, Nikki Sinclaire and Anthea McIntyre), increased from six as a result of the Lisbon Treaty .

In 2009 it returned two Conservative MEPs, two UKIP, one Labour and one Liberal Democrats, with the Conservatives receiving an extra MEP after 2011.

The candidates standing for election in the West Midlands region have now been announced.

For Labour they include Neena Gill, Sion Simon, Linda Waltho, Ansar Ali Khan, Olwen Hamer, Tony Ethapemi and Philippa Roberts.

For the Conservatives the candidates include Philip Bradbourne (standing for re-election), Anthea Mcintyre (standing for re-election), Dan Dalton, Michael Burnett, Sibby Buckle, Dan Sames and Alex Avern.

For the Lib Dems they are Philip Bennion (standing for re-election), Jonathan Webber, Christine Tinker, Ayoub Khan, Tim Bearder, Neville Farmer and John Redfern.

Candidates for UKIP include Jill Seymour, Jim Carver, Bill Etheridge, Phil Henrick, Michael Wrench, Michael Green and Lyndon Jones.

Green Party candidates include Will Duckworth, Aldo Mussi, Vicky Duckworth, Tom Harris, Karl Macnaughton, Duncan Kerr and Laura Vesty.

Those standing for the BNP are Michael Coleman, Jennifer Matthys, Kenneth Griffiths, Simon Patten, David Bradnock, Mark Badrick and Phillip Kimberley.

For the English Democrats party the candidates include Derek Hilling, Christopher Newey, Stephen Paxton, Charles Hayward, Margaret Stoll, David Lane and Fred Bishop.

For the We Demand a Referendum Now party the candidates are Nikki Sinclaire (standing for re-election), Andy Adris, Linda Brown, David Bennett (who is from Redditch), Judy Smart, Thomas Reid and Amanda Wilson.

For the An Independence from Europe party they are Mike Nattrass (standing for re-election), Mark Nattrass, Joshna Pattni, Carl Humphries, George Forrest, Douglas Ingram and Paul Alders.

For the No2EU party the candidates are Dave Nellist, Pat Collins, Joanne Stevenson, Sophia Hussain, Paul Relly, Andrew Chaffer and Amanda Marfleet.

And the only candidate standing for the Harmony party is Reg Mahrra.

For more information or the latest updates on the European Parliament elections, visit the Advertiser website.