b'nominated the President of the Commission.be objective, then Prime Minister Cameron This was the process by which Jean-Clauderealised this, but much, much too late. Juncker from Luxembourg, the nominee of the European Peoples Party (EPP)In view of these facts, the pro-EU pressure became President of the Commission. Atgroup British Influence should have really 216 MEPs, the EPP was the largest party inrenamed itself British total lack of influence, the European Parliament. This was despiteperhaps even British incompetence.The 58 EPP MEPs having lost their seats in thesituation was even worse than it seemed. 2014 European Election. A very bad result,The reduction of the UKs representation in especially in a proportional representationthe EU institutions since 1973 and the electoral system.consequent dilution of our influence was paralleled by the growth of EU power and Where was the UK during this? The EPP didcontrol over the UK via successive treaties.5stand in London at the European Elections in 2014; they received just 28,014 votes ofThe Single European Act of 1987, the Treaty 16.5 million cast. From the UKs viewpoint,of Maastricht (November 1993), the Treaty the Spitzenkandidaten process deprived UKof Amsterdam (May 1999), the Treaty of Nice governments of all influence (to use the word(February 2003) and the Treaty of Lisbon influencewith precision) in the appointment(December 2009) materially and significantly of the President of the European Commissionadvanced EU powers. Compare that with the without any meaningful input from theUKs diminished, immaterial influence.electorate of the UK in compensation. To 25'