THE European Parliament is more effective, more efficient and more democratic than the House of Commons, a former leading Liverpool councillor claimed yesterday.

MEPs are more independent than their Westminster counterparts, they have more direct influence on legislation - and they have to turn up and take part to qualify for their daily expenses, unlike MPs.

So say Britain's 12 Liberal Democrat Euro-MPs in a pamphlet - written by Chris Davies, the former chairman of Liverpool housing committee - which is being submitted as evidence to the House of Commons Modernisation Committee.

The rebuttal of the traditional image of the European Parliament as a gravy train stuck in the sidings comes on the day the new intake of 732 Euro-MPs take their seats in Strasbourg for the first time.

The pamphlet, Best Practice: Lessons from the European Parliament, says MEPs more closely reflect the wishes of voters, and are allowed to behave as "grown up" politicians who secure major amendments in new laws rather than acting as "lobby fodder for party whips".

Mr Davies, 50, who has just been elected leader of the British Liberal Democrat MEPs, was a Liverpool city councillor in the 80's and won the Littleborough and Saddleworth constituency for the Liberal Democrats in 1995, before becoming an MEP.

He admits changes are needed in the working of the European Parliament, but rejects charges that it is just an expensive, impotent, talking shop.

The latest attacks have come from UK Independence Party MEPs, notably Robert Kilroy-Silk, also an ex-Westminster MP.

When he was elected to Strasbourg last month, Mr Kilroy-Silk said UKIP's mission was to "wreck" the European Parliament.

He also said it was too expensive and had no relevance to the British electorate.

It is a theme UKIP members are expected to build on in Strasbourg this week.

Mr Davies says in his pamphlet: "Anyone who claims that the European Parliament is all bad has either no understanding of the Westminster reality or has allowed political prejudices to distort their objectivity."

He said today: "It needs to be said more often that the European Parliament is doing a remarkably good job.

"The House of Commons, by comparison, has the relatively simple task of representing the people of one nation, speaking just one language, yet does it astonishingly badly.

"The Mother of Parliaments may have a long history, but when it comes to playing a serious role the daughter is starting to look more attractive!

"No-one tells the European Parliament what to do."