Meet Linda McAvan, Labour MEP for Yorkshire and The Humber. She is currently in charge of attempts to push through medicinal regulation of e-cigarettes through the European Parliament. Showing just what a bastion of democracy the European Parliament is, Linda hosted a Facebook Q&A session on the issue this week, where the idea was that she could be held to account by citizens across the continent. Which is all well and good, except it seems the event was a complete stitch-up.

Linda was lucky to receive a number of soft questions, which she answered comfortably. Just which inquisitive European citizens asked the questions? For starters there was Laura Guiot, a consultant working at the European Parliament. Then there was Evita Naumova, of the European Parliament network. And Celine Bras from the EU information office. Not to mention Martina Klugova, who also works for the European Parliament. No wonder the questions were so easy. Democracy in action!