London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford has welcomed the endorsement by a majority of MEPs for the European Parliament to end the 'travelling circus' to Strasbourg in favour of one permanent seat, which would be in Brussels.

Voting on EU budget guidelines for 2013, MEPs also decided to freeze their own allowances until mid-2014 and cap their travel budget at its present level in line with their demand that all EU institutions cut their administrative spending.

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford has welcomed the adoption by the European Parliament today of a resolution condemning the controversial new Hungarian constitution.

Sarah Ludford commented:

"The European Commission and Hungary's fellow EU governments have been slow to act on the blatant erosion of civil liberties in Hungary taking place under Viktor Orban and his right-wing ruling party. They have twiddled their thumbs as Orban misused a two-thirds parliamentary majority in parliament to restrict dissenting journalism, suborn independent bodies and entrench discrimination and party hegemony through a highly partisan constitution."

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford is calling for the European Parliament to freeze MEPs' allowances until the end of the legislature in 2014 as well as to seek freezes on travel costs and administrative spending in all EU institutions.

Commenting ahead of tomorrow's vote in the European Parliament on the 'guidelines' for the EU's budget in 2013, Sarah Ludford commented:

Commenting on tomorrow's 10-year anniversary of Shaker Aamer's detention without charge in Guantanamo, London MEP and vice-chair of the European Parliament's delegation to the US Sarah Ludford said:

"The continued existence of Guantanamo is a stain on the record and reputation of President Obama, a lawyer whose attachment to human rights was celebrated early in his Presidency by the Nobel peace prize award. It is an outrage that my constituent Shaker Aamer remains incarcerated in Guantanamo and separated from his family in London a decade after he was sold by bounty-hunters and having been charged with no crime."

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford is reminding people about the existence and importance of the European emergency number 112.

112 is the emergency number common to all 27 EU countries, including the UK, and can be used to connect to ambulance fire or police services. 74% of Europeans are still unaware of the number, despite the fact it has been in existence for more than 20 years.

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford attended an event in London to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, as well as a ceremony in the European Parliament earlier in the week. She has signed the 'Speak up, Speak out' pledge against prejudice and discrimination.

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford has welcomed the news that post offices across London have been handed a lifeline thanks to the actions of Liberal Democrat business minister Ed Davey.

Ed Davey has announced a 10-year deal between the Post Office and the Royal Mail guaranteeing that the Post Office continues to transact all Royal Mail services such as first and second class post, parcels, air mail, recorded and special deliveries.

Islington Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford today visited St Mary Magdalene Refugee centre in Islington to talk to refugee students about the work of the EU and the European Parliament.

Sarah Ludford commented:

"It was great to meet all the students who are benefitting from the centre's English classes. Learning the language makes it far easier for refugees to fit into society, and a group like this means that they can also develop a valuable social network."

Euro-MPs in Strasbourg will vote today to tighten EU rules tackling the growing mountain of hazardous electronic waste. The original EU legislation on waste electrical and electronic equipment (the 'WEEE' Directive) was negotiated by Liberal Democrat MEPs, who have now spearheaded stricter rules.

TVs, mobile phones, computers and other electrical equipment are the UK's fastest growing waste stream, with more than one million tonnes generated annually. Despite the EU law already in place, only about one third of e-waste is currently disposed of in an accountable and sustainable way. The rest is either dumped in landfills or shipped - often illegally - to non-EU countries.

Commenting on the termination of the Gibson inquiry into allegations of UK involvement in torture and rendition, Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford, who was vice chair of the European Parliament's inquiry into European involvement on 'extraordinary rendition', said: