MEPs sit together in cross-country political groupings rather than in their national political parties.
There are seven political groupings, but none have a majority, requiring co-operation to get business done. Some MEPs sit as independents.
The current South East MEPs include four Tories, two Liberal Democrats, one green, one UKIP, one Labour and one independent, who was formerly a UKIP member.
Each of the UK national parties sit in separate groups in the European Parliament, spanning the political spectrum.
The largest is the centre right European People’s Party, followed by the European Socialists.
The current South East MEPs include UK national party leaders in UKIP’s Nigel Farage and the Green’s Caroline Lucas.
Mr Farage is also co-president of the European Parliament Independence/Democracy group.
At the last Euro election in 2004, Tories polled 27 per cent, ahead of Labour on 23 per cent, followed by UKIP (16), Lib Dems (15), Green (6), and BNP (5).
But the political climate may make it harder for the smaller parties to do so well this time.
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