MEPs cost taxpayers five times more than UK MPs

Amid the ongoing 'expenses scandal', and in response to claims by EU officials that MEPs are entitled to the same amount in allowances as MPs in Westminster, Open Europe published in June 2009 a comparison between the cost of the European Parliament and the cost of the UK Parliament.

Open Europe’s comparison finds that the European Parliament costs taxpayers a staggering £1.8 million for each MEP per year. This is in contrast to the House of Commons, which costs taxpayers £364,000 for each member per year, and the House of Lords, which costs £208,000 per member per year.

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