UNLIKE the House of Commons, more than one member represents Buckinghamshire residents in the European Parliament.

The county falls within the South East, which is represented by ten Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

The voting system is also different. Instead of a “first past the post” system – where the person with the most votes wins – MEPs are elected by “proportional represent-ation”.

This means that parties are given seats roughly according to their share of the votes.

More than one candidate can be put forward for more than one party as, in theory, one party could scoop all 10 seats.

Parties therefore put candidates forward in priority order – voters plump for the party and not one of the 133 South East candidates. This system varies between states and was set by the UK Government in 1999.

In 2004, the Conservatives got four seats, with 35 per cent of the vote, followed by UKIP, with two seats for 20 per cent, and Liberal Democrats, with 15 per cent.

Labour and the Greens got one seat each with 14 per cent and eight per cent of the vote. About 2.2m people voted – which equates to 36 per cent of the electorate. The UK turnout was 38 per cent.

All MEPs are seeking re-election apart from Lib Dems’ Emma Nicholson, who is stepping down, and UKIP’s Ashley Mote, who left the party to become an independent in 2004.

Chris Huhne was elected in 2004 as a Lib Dem but left the party to become an MP the following year.

The total number of MEPs is set to fall from 785 to 736 when the Parliament reconvenes in July.

When Parliament sits parties organise themselves into broad ideological groups. The current session has seven of these groups. The Parliament, which formed in 1979, drafts legislation on issues such as the environment, consumer affairs, transport and movement of workers between states.

British National Party (10 candidates).

Conservative Party (10 candidates).

Jury Team (nine candidates).

No2EU: Yes to Democracy (10 candidates).

Christian Party “Proclaiming Christ’s Lordship” (10 candidates).

English Democrats (10 candidates).

Liberal Democrats (10 candidates).

Pro Democracy: Libertas.eu (nine candidates).

Socialist Labour Party (10 candidates).

The Labour Party (10 candidates).

The Roman Party. Avel (one candidate).

United Kingdom Independence Party (10 candidates).

The Green Party (10 candidates).

The Peace Party – Non-Violence, Justice, Environment (10 candidates).

United Kingdom First (four candidates).