MEPs have been ranked using two main categories:
‘Transparency, openness and democracy’ and ‘Fighting waste and misuse of EU funds’. http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/rankingguide.pdf/

I have gone through the data for UK Greens, Con, Lab, LibDem and UKIP and summated their scores. The lower the score the better. I noted their position on the ranking, summated those position scores and divided by the number of MEPs found.

Here are the results :

Greens – 51

LibDem – 116

Conservatives 152

Labour 205

Ukip 343

This survey is vitally important for the electorate. People are understandably angry with the three Westminster parties, and at the moment, due to deficient information, UKIP is the main beneficiary of the disaffection, polling 10-16% at the moment. This research shows that voting UKIP in protest at MP expenses scandals is to jump from the Westminster frying pan into the Brussels fire.

Prior to 1997, what does anyone remember of Labour’s policies? Personally, I can only recall three things: Education, education, education; a whiter than white government and no tax rises at all.
David Cameron doesn’t need to worry about minutely thought-out detailed policies. He needs to continue the broad-brush approach of gradually fleshing out his philosophical ideas of social repair, small government and fiscal responsibility – three big ideas that people will respond to and remember. Unlike Blair, the difference this time is that they will all need to be achieved.

When the Tories do well at the G.E. the Libs generally do badly! Clegg’s only strategy is to go after the Labour vote in the Midlands and the North – he certainly won’t be picking up any Tory seats in the South! All of this plays into Cameron’s hands – he can’t lose.

You maybe right that the Conservative vote is not soft particularly since they seem to be holding steady at around 40%.

This is only one poll I know but is there a case for saying that if the Liberal Democrats establish themselves in second place in all polls consistently over time the gap between them and the Tories will narrow because people who were considering voting Tory to prevent Labour from being re-elected would no longer need to worry about this as Labour would be deemed as good as finished and could therefore take the risk of voting Liberal Democrat instead?