PEOPLE are being encouraged to have their say in Europe next week and the clear message from candidates for the South-West is that every vote will count.

Britain's track record for turn-out in European Parliament elections has been gradually getting worse since the first one in 1979.

In 1979 turn-out was 32.2 percent. In 1984 this fell to 31.8 percent, 1989 it was 36.6 percent, 1994 saw 36.4 percent of people voting and the last elections in 1999 had only 24 percent.

The mean percentage for Britain of 32.2 is the lowest across all member states - and one of the reasons why postal voting has replaced the traditional ballot box in four trial regions of England.

In comparison the highest average turn-out has been in Belgium where 91.2 percent of voters have had their say.

An opinion poll providing detailed country-by-country polling figures on voting intentions in the 25 member states has been described as a wake-up call for this month's elections.

European Parliament president Pat Cox appealed to voters to participate "This election will throw up 732 people whose collective ability to influence EU law-making will be the equivalent, in many areas of policy-making, to the sum of that of all 25 member states. That is powerful influence.

"So my message to voters from Lisbon to Liverpool and Ljubljana is clear. In June you can send someone to the European Parliament who can influence things that influence your daily life - in job creation in different sectors of the economy, in your environment, in your rights as a citizen and as a consumer." "Does it matter to you that you send someone to do what you want? If it does: participate, this is your ownership of your Europe.

"This poll is a wake-up call and an invitation to people to take some time and focus on the election: their vote counts and their representative can make a difference."

European Parliament elections work by a proportional representation system in which the share of each party seats corresponds to their proportion of the total votes cast and minority votes are not wasted.

In this year's elections there are 55 candidates representing eight political parties for the South-West constituency.

The UK office of the European Parliament has an informative website at www.europecounts.org.uk including a jargon-buster!

A full survey with country-by-country results on voter intention and factors influencing voter choice can be found at www.eosgallupeurope.be

South-West candidates

BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY

1. Anthony Robert North 2. Michaela Beryl Mackenzie 3. Barry John Sinclair Bennett 4. Edward Peter Mullins 5. Robert Anthony Baggs 6. Bruce Jeremy Cowd 7. Frederick William Paynter

CONSERVATIVES - PUTTING BRITAIN FIRST

1. Neil Quentin Gordon Parish 2. Caroline Frances Jackson 3. Giles Bryan Chichester 4. Richard Michael John Ogilvie Graham 5. Alexander Daniel Alan Stockton 6. Jack Lopresti 7. Julie McCullogh Girling

COUNTRYSIDE PARTY

1. Christopher Philip Thomas-Everard 2. Brian Crawford 3. Diana Mary Scott 4. Ranulph Fiennes 5. Archibald John Montgomery 6. John Antony Yewdall

GREEN PARTY

1. David Ronald Moore Taylor 2. Emily Rachel McIvor 3. Carol Jill Kambites 4. Anthony John Bown 5. Lyana Patricia Mary Armstrong-Emery 6. Katharine Chant 7. Paul Anthony Edwards

LABOUR PARTY

1. James Glyn Ford 2. Bernadette Isobel Hartley 3. Ian James White 4. Clare Miranda Moody 5. Keir Singh Dhillon 6. Julie Watts 7. David Kevin Righton Roberts

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

1. Graham Robert Watson 2. Anthony Cleland Welch 3. Kay Barnard 4. Simon Peter Green 5. Christine Ruth Coleman 6. Katherine Frances Hall 7. Alistair Ronald Cameron

RESPECT - THE UNITY COALITION (GEORGE GALLOWAY)

1. Paulette Ann North 2. Sami Velioglu 3. Hannah Louise Packham 4. Ann Elizabeth Thomas 5. John Martin Bampfylde 6. Bernard Edward Parkes 7. Anthony Nicholas Staunton

UNITED KINGDOM INDEPENDENCE PARTY

1. Graham Harry Booth 2. Roger Maurice Knapman 3. Bernard Trevor Colman 4. Elizabeth Mary Burton 5. Matthew John Jackson 6. Michael Patrick Faulkner 7. Andrew Stephen Reed