The pitfalls of protest votes in the time of Brexit

As long as we are in the EU – which may be some time – we need active and responsible representatives in the European parliament

The Independent would urge Brexit Party supporters – and everyone else – to cast their votes on Thursday for those parties or independent candidates that can best influence EU lawmaking (AFP/Getty)

European elections have long been seen in this country as an opportunity for a protest vote. For many citizens, furious at the failure of the government to take Britain out of the European Union, that is all this Thursday’s vote will be.

But voters should remember they are also sending representatives to the European parliament – and they will have a job to do for however long they are there.

Those people who intend to vote for Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party to send a message to the government should pause to consider whether they are wasting their votes. The Conservative Party, they can rest assured, is well aware of the damage caused by its failure to deliver Brexit. The only question is whether it gets rid of Theresa May by the end of July or by the end of September.

It is not obvious how her successor would be able to take the UK out of the EU, given deadlock in the House of Commons, the unwisdom of calling an early general election and the reluctance of the Tory party to contemplate a new referendum. But the next prime minister will be trying hard to deliver Brexit regardless of the number of Farageist MEPs elected to Strasbourg.

The only argument for voting for the Brexit Party, for those who support a no-deal exit, would be that Mr Farage and his listmates would make themselves so obnoxious in the European parliament that EU leaders might refuse to grant us a further extension after 31 October.

That is not a great reason, though, is it? Mr Farage and the remnants of Ukip, his former party, had 24 seats in the last parliament and Emmanuel Macron, the French president, was persuaded to grant us an extension last time.

So The Independent would urge Brexit Party supporters – and everyone else – to cast their votes on Thursday for those parties or independent candidates that can best influence EU lawmaking.

As long as we are in the EU – and we may remain a member state for some time – we need active and responsible representatives in the European parliament. So we would urge readers above all to vote, but also to take the trouble to find out about the party manifestos.

Read about the emphasis on enterprise of the Conservatives, part of the conservatives and reformists group.

Or the liberalism of the Lib Dems; or the environmentalism of the Green Party; or the open-mindedness of Change UK.

Protest is all very well, but this Thursday remember we are electing representatives to an important parliament that embodies the unity – however imperfect and provisional – of the peoples of Europe.