This month, at the suggestion of one of my constituents, instead of updating you on what happened during the week in Strasbourg, I will be giving you an overview of a typical week in the life of a Member of the European Parliament.

This month in Strasbourg we had some very important votes go through the Parliament Plenary and I have received many letters from constituents on these issues.

First of all let me wish you a Happy New Year! It seems that the New Year has brought with it the beginning of winter. I know across the UK and in Brussels and Strasbourg there have been some chilly temperatures.THERE'S A LINK TO DAVID CAMERON'S SPEECH ON EUROPE IN ROBERT'S REPORT.

We know that the holiday season is upon us when the city of Brussels puts up a Christmas tree in the Grand Place.Usually this is a tall, magnificent pine tree from the Ardennes region of Belgium. However this year, for reasons unknown, the city of Brussels decided to put up a metal scaffolding monstrosity that they call a modern, abstract Christmas tree.

Well we've come to that time of the month again, the monthly jaunt to Strasbourg. This month the European Parliament decided, following the adoption of an amendment by fellow British Conservative MEP Ashley Fox, two sessions have been merged into one week to try to reduce cost..

View from Strasbourg June 2012I am sure you will have noticed that Europe is having a tough time of late. Endless crises and constant bickering between its member-states seems to have become the norm, rather than the exception.

Unusually for a Strasbourg session, there was a lot of activity in Brussels this week. Wednesday 23rd of May saw leaders from across the EU convene in Brussels for an ad hoc summit to discuss the ongoing eurozone crisis and, for the first time in 24 such meetings, an agenda for economic growth.

Writing from Strasbourg, Robert reports that this month’s session started on a very solemn note. A minute's silence was observed for the victims of the Belgian coach accident in Switzerland. I was deeply saddened to hear of the incident that claimed the lives of so many young people. Whatever your views on Europe, it is time like these that people come together from all sides of the ideological divide.

Writing from Strasbourg, Robert gives us an update of this month's Strasbourg session, comments on Denmark taking over the Presidency, feels that the end might be in sight for Strasbourg, reports on EU budget woes and two good pieces of news for British farmers regarding a change in bluetounge vaccination rules and an easing of rules for dairy farmers.

Writing from Strasbourg, Robert invokes Dickens' Christmas Carol and Tale of Two Cities...