Brexit Party MEP appears to claim EU parliament voting machines are rigged

Lance Forman, the Brexit Party's new MEP for London. Picture: Isabel Infantes/PA Wire/PA Images - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

A Brexit Party MEP has tweeted a video of himself trying to use EU Parliament voting machines and appearing to claim that they are rigged.

This is the voting method at the EU parliament. Just practicing voting 'No'.

From what I am finding it seems that legislation proposed by the unelected commission always passes.

Have only been here a day, but it's very clear, there is no democracy here. pic.twitter.com/6RVFazU1h7
— Lance Forman MEP elect (@LanceForman) June 11, 2019

The video tweeted by Lance Forman, the Brexit Party MEP for London, shows him attempting to press the ‘no’ button on a voting machine.

“This is the voting method at the EU parliament,” he said in the tweet. “Just practicing voting ‘No’. From what I am finding it seems that legislation proposed by the unelected commission always passes. Have only been here a day, but it’s very clear, there is no democracy here.”

However, comedian Cyrus Bales pointed to an image tweeted by Green MEP Sven Giegold in 2018, showing the machine in use – with an ID card activating it.

“He is suggesting … the voting machines in the EU parliament don’t record ‘no’ votes,” said Bales.

On the left is Brexit MEP Lance Forman posting a video he is suggesting shows the voting machines in the EU parliament don't record "no" votes.

On the right is an image of how these machines actually work, and that they require a voting card.

The man is a deceptive sack of shit pic.twitter.com/9DHnlgBO7E
— Cyrus Bales (@CyrusBales) June 11, 2019

The misunderstanding doesn’t seem to have put off Forman’s followers, however.

At time of writing, his tweet has been retweeted more than 1,100 times and liked more than 2,400 times.

Other Twitter users mocked the MEP for the video.

“There is no democracy here, as you can tell by me demonstrating this voting machine,” said Twitter user @Socialistdawn.

'There is no democracy here, as you can tell by me demonstrating this voting machine'
— Gav #FBPE #FBR  ?'??  (@Socialistdawn) June 11, 2019

Forman responded by saying that he did not set out to claim that the machines were rigged, and that he was making a broader point about what he describes as “the democratic deficit in the EU”, adding that this had “nothing to do with the voting machine whatsoever”.

It was busy day in claims about the EU for the MEP.

Earlier, he said that elected officials in Brussels get a taxpayer-funded “nice fleet of Mercs” while in Brussels, tweeting a picture of a Skoda to back it up.

Funny that. I didn't put my card in the ATM today and the machine did not respond at all to my request for £100.
— Russ Evans  (@Russell_CNX) June 11, 2019

If your hotel room has a key card, you're in a lot of trouble.
— Andy Hort  #Remain (@DevonKiwi) June 11, 2019

No need to take taxis in Brussels if you're an MEP.  Thankfully the British taxpayer has paid for a nice fleet of Mercs and very charming drivers. pic.twitter.com/PknUazUOUC
— Lance Forman MEP elect (@LanceForman) June 11, 2019