NOEL Thompson asks (Letters, July 15) why UKIP MEPs take up their seats in the European Parliament.

There are five good reasons:

1) The PR system in the European elections enables us to win seats ?12 this time;

2) By taking up those seats we keep out 12 pro-EU MEPs;

3) We are able to observe, at close quarters, the extravagance, corruption and inefficiency and can then tell the public exactly what is happening, at meetings throughout the UK;

4) The added credibility that UKIP has gained through its success means that we are now taken seriously and can reach a much wider audience;

5) Yes, we do use our expenses, within the rules, to spread the message.

If I thought that, by returning my expenses to the EU, the money would be refunded to our British taxpayers, I would do it tomorrow ? but that would not happen. It would simply disappear into the trough in which so many pro-EU snouts reside.

In our election campaign we made it perfectly clear that our successful MEPs would take up their seats, for the reasons given above, to promote our unambiguous policy ? that Britain must leave the EU in order to regain its independence. 2,650,000 people knew precisely what they were voting for when they gave us their backing.

The sooner Britain leaves the EU the better, so far as I am concerned ? next week would be ideal, at which time I shall immediately be out of a job. We UKIP MEPs are the original ?turkeys voting for Christmas? ? and proud of it.

Graham Booth, MEP