-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Few people know that the European Government cannot make do with one capital, but has granted itself two lavish centres. These are at Brussels, Belgium - the one most people know about - and Strasbourg, France - the one you sometimes hear mentioned on the news, buy you probably don't know what they're talking about. Every month Brussels packs up and trundles all its stuff hundreds of miles to Strasbourg. Yes, it costs a lot. Don't worry, the cost is covered - by you if you pay tax. America manages with just Washington, DC. Britain has to make do with little old London. So why does Europe need two expensive capitals? Brussels was chosen because it is a neutral sort of place that doesn't sound threatening. It doesn't carry any gut-twisting connotations. Brits and others might not be too happy about being ruled from, say, Berlin. But why Strasbourg? Well, the French want to get in on the act too! And if they can't have the government there at least part of the time, they won't play! So they get a turn, once every month. Now one Member of the European Parliament is trying to stop this nonsense and asks Londoners to sign his petition to end the monthly trek to Strasbourg. He says having a second Parliament building is huge waste, but Euro-MPs are powerless to change it. His online petition calls on the European Union to end the monthly relocation to Strasbourg. Every four weeks, MEPs pack up all their office junk and travel several hundred miles to the French city where the parliament holds its 'plenary' (full) session. Estimates put the cost at over £120 million pounds per year. A trifling sum, where the big Euro spenders are concerned. MEPs have no control over this, as the Strasbourg jaunt is enshrined in the EU's treaties. Only national governments can change the 'two-seat operation' and Mr Kamall says attempts to do so would 'almost certainly be vetoed by the French.' Almost? No almost about it! But Mr Kamall hopes public opinion could be enough to force the French government to concede and allow MEPs to sit in Brussels alone. He is asking his constituents to go to www.oneseat.eu and sign up. He said: "Every month, papers, staff, officials, and 700 MEPs all make the journey to the remote city on the German border. Maintaining two huge parliament buildings is a totally unnecessary drain on London taxpayers' money. "Unfortunately, MEPs cannot do anything about it. Only the national governments of the EU can change the treaty which forces us to sit in two places. "That's why we need the support of our constituents across London. We need to show the governments of Europe that MEPs are not the only people who think the current arrangement is ridiculous and wasteful. "I can think of a number of good causes in London which could make far better use of the vast sum of money." You can email Syed at: syed.kamall@europarl.europa.eu . Alan Franklin has pointed this out in his book: 'EU: Final World Empire', along with much else that voters should know about the sinister entity called Europe which has been set up with no mandate from the British people. If you have a view on Europe please share it with our readers by emailing us at alan@thefreepressonline.co.uk