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		Close the European Parliament Letter to the Irish Times - Tuesday, 9th July 2008 Madam An article in your edition of July 7th proposes that the European Parliament should be closed. As a member of that institution, I heartily concur. The parliament does little but allow MEPs to grandstand and posture without a second thought about the consequences of their actions. For example, they have recently taken the Commission's proposal to ban a wide range of common pesticides and made it even tougher. They are basking in their rhetoric about consumer protection. But at a time of food shortages and rising prices, they will achieve massive reductions in crop yields, and do dreadful damage to farmers. And they will move food production offshore, to jurisdictions with lower standards. We will lose our home-grown food, and end up with imported food and higher pesticide residues. As someone once said, "Power without responsibility is the prerogative of the whore down the ages". Look no further than Brussels to see it in action Yours faithfully Roger Helmer MEP (Conservative, East Midlands) Hon Chairman, The Freedom Association