Liberal Democrats on Kent County Council

Euro MPs last night insisted Governments pay the price for failing to protect biodiversity.

The European Parliament has called for a 'No Net Loss' principle, so countries which damage nature also compensate for the hit.

It came as a report revealed the "silent crisis" of biodiversity loss costs the EU around 450 billion Euros every year.

Under threat Post Offices across the South East have been offered a lifeline, thanks to a new deal announced today.

Liberal Democrat business minister Ed Davey said a ten-year agreement with Royal Mail meant the signs were "extremely encouraging" for the future of the Post Office.

It offers additional certainty to sub-postmasters and covers the full range of Royal Mail products available at post offices such as first and second class post, parcels, air mail, recorded and special deliveries.

Campaigners today told of their disappointment after two people traffickers were ordered to pay back a tiny amount of their ill-gotten gains.

OXCAT (Oxford Community Against Trafficking) said profits from trafficking should be seized and spent on the campaign to stop human exploitation.

Anastassios Papas and Graham Cochrane ran the Fun Girls in Oxford escort agency, which offered Eastern European women for sex in hotels and clients' homes.

Sharon Bowles MEP, who represents South East England in the European Parliament, has said the filing for insolvency by Petroplus -Europe's largest independent oil refiner - is a blow to the South East.

Petroplus, based in Switzerland, has been hit hard by the financial crisis and in December had $1bn in credit lines frozen - a move that has pushed the company closer to bankruptcy.

Amid fears that David Cameron's veto had isolated the UK in Brussels, MEPs from across Europe and the political spectrum have today re-elected Liberal Democrat MEP Sharon Bowles as Chair of the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.

The committee, widely regarded as the Parliament's most powerful, is responsible for legislation in the headline areas of economic governance and financial services.

A world record breaking ocean rowing team has hammered home the message about human trafficking, South East MEP Catherine Bearder said today.

The Row for Freedom crew became the first all-female team to cross the Atlantic Ocean unaided following 45 days at sea.

More people have flown into space and climbed Mount Everest than row across an ocean, but the quintet successfully pulled into Barbados this morning (SUNDAY).

Euro MPs today backed tougher action to tackle the spiralling problem of dangerous electronic rubbish.

It came after South East MEP Catherine Bearder last night told the European Parliament it was "time to stop dumping on our neighbours".

Around one million tonnes of so-called e-waste from old TVs and radios to trashed mobile phones and computers are thrown out in the UK each year.

Sharon Bowles MEP, who represents South East England in the European Parliament, has been named on The Times '100 to watch in 2012' list, which includes actors, writers, musicians and world leaders.

Sharon is listed #48, ahead of Boris Johnson (#51), rock band The Stone Roses (#56), and writer Sir Tom Stoppard (#60).

Opposition was today mounting against plans for a £50 billion airport in the Thames Estuary.

It was reported the Government is becoming "increasingly interested" in a proposal for an airport on the Isle of Grain in North Kent.

However, Liberal Democrats have said they are opposed to the idea, which has been dubbed 'Boris Island' after the London Mayor's support for the scheme.

The European Parliament will push the European Commission to come forward with a coordinated EU strategy to halve food waste by 2025.

MEPs in Strasbourg will vote on a report tomorrow to improve the efficiency of the food supply chain from the production stage to storage, processing, distribution, management and consumption. It is estimated that almost 50% of edible food gets wasted along the entire food supply chain each year.