US-style lobbyists besiege Brussels

Every day I search the British press for some news about what's happening in the European Parliament. But I hardly ever find any. This is curious especially as some newspapers would have their readers believe that the EU exists almost exclusively to destroy the British way of life. You might hope that the machinations of one of its principal institutions might get the odd column inch.

The Independent today carries a letter from Glyn Ford the only Labour MEP in the UK's South West Region. He warns about US style lobbying at the Parliament. He notes that "there are over 3,000 registered lobbyists trying to influence 700 MEPs". And concludes: "It's going to get worse. In the US we've seeing the consequences of predatory lobbying and the abuse of science by big business and fundamentalist groups over climate change, condom safety and creation science. The signs are it's speeding across the Atlantic - Europe needs to prepare for the onslaught of the mad and the bad."