SIR – Why does Philip Bushill-Matthews (March 23) try to defend the indefensible with invective and not figures.

When UK MEPs were elected in 2005 they were paid annually £59,095 (source UK Office of the EU Parliament), after June they will be paid in euros 91,980 which at today’s exchange rate is £86,102 , an increase of 46 per cent. MEPs have introduced for themselves a special 15 per cent EU tax level which could have meant a huge increase in their take-home pay of 67 per cent but fortunately our Government has decided this is too much of a good thing and decided they will have to pay UK income taxes so their take-home pay will only be up by about 47 per cent.

With reference to their expenses, travel expenses will be subject to scrutiny but the flat rate subsistence and general expenditure allowances will continue to be paid without the need to produce evidence and over five years this will be worth £750,000 to an MEP.

As Chris Davies, leader of the Lib Dem MEPs ,has said: “No one knows who is cheating and who is not and it is a disgrace that the EU Parliament has voted to keep auditors reports secret”. Interestingly, the Conservatives supported this secrecy vote.

Get real, Philip.

Mark Starr,
Leigh Sinton.