IN THE wake of the European elections, I hope everyone is noting the work rate of the region’s new Ukip MEPs.

For example, Jane Collins is now a Ukip MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber and has been given the party’s portfolio on employment issues.

She has in a matter of weeks already missed 17 votes on youth unemployment in the parliament. Mike Hookem, another of the region’s Ukip MEPs, has been given the defence brief, but somehow missed seven votes on the EU’s response to the Ukraine crisis.

Between them the UK’s 24 Ukip MEPs have in one month already missed 335 opportunities to vote on behalf of those who elected them.

Nigel Farage couldn’t find the energy to vote on the escalating violence between Israel and Palestine, or youth unemployment, or the situation in the Ukraine, or the violence in Iraq, or the Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria.

Apart from receiving more than £6 million a year in expenses from UK taxpayers and fantasising about taking over the House of Commons, it is unclear what the 24 Ukip MEPs are for. What a waste of money and what a loss of influence.

Christian Vassie, Blake Court, Wheldrake, York.