An important part of being an MEP is learning about and responding to the concerns of constituents. I receive dozens of letters every day on a wide variety of issues, some of which I am able to help with directly, others I can raise with my colleagues in the European institutions, and still others who need pointing in the right direction to find help elsewhere.

Most messages from constituents are admirably specific, making clear what the constituent's concerns are and how I can help address them. This is not always the case, however, and I thought readers of this blog might be interested to read two slightly more quirky messages that I received on the same day last week. Here's the first, which I confess leaves me rather unsure how to proceed:

"Dear Mr Corbett,

"I am writing to tell you that my wife and I have grave concerns about the proposed revision of the EU regulation governing organic food and farming in the EU. Could you please pass on these concerns to the EU Agriculture Commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel, and let me know what she says.

Thank you,

[constituent's name]"

Well, I was just thinking that I'd be delighted to, if you told me what those concerns were, when along came a second message - a robust bit of lobbying if ever I saw one:

"I am writing to tell you that I have no concerns about the proposed revision of the EU regulation governing organic food and farming. Please pass on my lack of concerns to the EU Agriculture Commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel, and let me know what she says."

Inspired.