INSIGHT, with Paul Smith

THERE are few issues that get people more hot under the collar than Europe and whether Britain should have less or more ties with the continent.

But European elections have traditionally produced low turnouts at the polls, despite the fact that much of our tax goes to Brussels, while a great deal of the money invested in East Lancashire and other regions comes from Euro grants.

This year's elections - the polls open tomorrow at 7am - see massive changes to the voting system with ten candidates being elected for a North West region rather than individual MEPs being elected for traditional constituencies.

And that has prompted some politicians and analysts to predict that turnout at the polls could be lower than ever.

So just how important a role does Europe play in our lives?

JUST about all of the projects which are taking shape at the moment to regenerate East Lancashire's towns are partly funded with cash from Europe.

More than £40 million has been invested from Europe in Lancashire over the past three years.

In Blackburn alone, there are £8 million worth of projects currently under way which make massive differences to people's lives.

Council chiefs hope the town centre action plan, which will see a major re-structuring of traffic flows with an orbital route around the centre of town and pedestrian friendly zones in the shopping areas, will trigger major investment from retailers.

The whole scheme will be helped by a £2.5million grant, while the continuing development of retail and business parks along the M65 corridor, particularly near Shadsworth, will be helped with a £2.25million Euro grant. There are also several grants from the EU which are aimed at deprived areas of the town which come under the general title of Community Economic Development Action.

Elsewhere in East Lancashire, business and trade, and therefore employment, have been boosted by Objective Two money from Europe.

The money is filtered through agencies, such as Lancashire Enterprise, to businesses to develop new procedures and processes as well as marketing themselves.

Millions of pounds per year comes into East Lancashire via this route and jobs would almost certainly be lost without that cash which is targeted in industrial areas which are reliant on manufacturing industry.

Lancashire County Council, each district council in East Lancashire and ELTEC all bid for money from this fund.

Objective Two has helped with the building of Eanam Wharf in Blackburn, the Great Harwood Enterprise Centre, Newhallhey Mill in Rawtenstall and the East Lancashire Technical Management Centre in Accrington. European money has also helped with the conversion of Proctors Foundry in Burnley into a hotel and nightspot and money is set aside to help with the Weavers Triangle redevelopment project in the town.

Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw says people should be under no illusion how important Europe is to their lives.

He said: "I'm conscious that the level of public interest in the European elections does not match that held for a general election. "However, they are of great significance and I'm keen that people understand both the importance of the European parliament and the new voting system being introduced.

"The decisions of the European Parliament have an important say in a wide range of laws covering areas of policy such as environment, trade, transport, agriculture, energy, consumer protection, equal opportunities, education and culture.

"The European parliament also deals with the EU budget which supports projects in the North West and throughout the UK."

Ribble Valley MP and Conservative constitutional affairs spokesman Nigel Evans has described the voting system as a farce and predicted one of the lowest turnouts in history.

He acknowledges the influence EU money has on life in East Lancashire, but has blasted European institutions as "remove and detached".

Mr Evans said: "I am urging people to vote on June 10. People will have an opportunity to speak out against a barmy electoral system and they can also deliver a verdict on a single currency in chaos, and an EU gravy train bloated with self serving politicians."

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