The Eastern region for the European elections includes East Anglia and some of the Home Counties. This seat has seven MEPs, one less than at the 1999 elections due to the EU's expansion. It includes wide stretches of arable land, centres of hi-tech industry as well as areas bordered by London earmarked for major development plans. Key issues for the region include migrant workers and the EU Common Agricultural Policy. The region is strong Conservative territory. In 1992 they took more than 50% of all the votes cast; and even in the Conservative catastrophe of 1997, it was one of only two regions where the party secured more votes than Labour.