In terms of the European elections on June 4th (and the result finally on the 8th) what does success and failure look like for each of the parties? Conservatives: Success is... Over 16% of the vote in Scotland and 1 MEP seat. Failure is... Under 16% of the vote in Scotland or finishing in 4th place or lower. Disaster is... Under 13% of the vote in Scotland or no MEPs elected. Reason for this... In...

The election success of the far-right British National Party (BNP) does not signal a major shift to the right in British politics, according to former British Labour MEP Richard Corbett, who lost his seat to the BNP in last weekend's European election.

The election success of the far-right British National Party (BNP) does not signal a major shift to the right in UK politics, according to former British Labour MEP Richard Corbett, who lost his seat to the BNP in last weekend's European election.

The Bruges Group fringe meeting will take place today at 2.30 in the Birmingham and Midland Institute. As it happens there will be fewer speakers as two of them have withdrawn. Daniel Hannan MEP and Roger Helmer MEP will not now be appearing on the same platform as Nigel Farage MEP and Simon Heffer. I couldn't possibly comment.

The Conservative MEP Edward McMillan-Scott is expelled from the party after defying them in a vote in the European Parliament.

Something I often find puzzling, is why some Conservatives in the UK regularly align themselves with Democrats in the US. The natural allies of the British Conservative Party in the US is the Republican Party. Roger Helmer MEP discusses this and says 'Conservatives for Obama? It makes about as much sense as Conservatives for Gordon Brown.' He is, of course, right. Read his full article HERE.

Three cheers for the Party for setting the agenda on MP and MEP ethics (by which I mean primarily pay and expenses) today. Two major moves were made today. The Conservatives in Opposition time held a three hour debate on...

We frequently hear what an outstanding economic success Scotland has become since devolution. Here in Northern Ireland, the little Ulster Nationalists in the DUP often quote Scotland as a template we can use, something to which we can aspire. SO...get this. "Scotland is on course to become the third most state-dependent country in the world. Only Cuba and Iraq spend more taxpayers' money on p...

Spotted coming out of a lift in the Welsh Assembly less than an hour ago, the Welsh Conservative's Head of Media, their new MEP, Kay Swinburne and John Bufton, the new UKIP MEP for Wales. It is nice of the Welsh Tories to take UKIP under their wing so early after the election. Who knew they had so much in common? Perhaps the Conservatives have ambitions of getting a second MEP after all.

Something I get asked by folk who know I`m a political activist for the SNP is ‘if you weren`t in Scotland who would you vote for?’ It’s quite a conundrum. If I was in Wales it would be fairly simple, I`d happily vote for Plaid Cymru. Jill Evans MEP heads their list and she’s been an able and active MEP for the last 5 years. If I was in Northern Ireland I suspect I`d end up...