Europe goes to the polls this week in what looks like the most controversial parliamentary elections in a generation. Four hundred million people in 28 nations will elect over 7-hundred parliament members over three days of voting. With no agreement reached on how to leave the European Union, Britain will be taking part in the vote. Richard Bestic reports on the elections in the UK that weren't meant to happen.

Britain's two main political Parties, the ruling Conservatives and Opposition Labour suffered a shock mauling in local elections just two weeks ago. And, according to opinion pollsters, that experience is about to be repeated in the European Parliamentary elections.

PROF. JOHN CURTICE POLITICAL SCIENTIST, UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE "These are elections at which people are deciding how to reflect their existing views about Brexit and the Brexit process in the way in which they vote in the European elections. This has not been a process so far which has changed attitudes."

Consequently, the UK favourites to win most EU Parliamentary seats, the Brexit Party – set up by MEP Nigel Farage and dedicated entirely to leaving the European Union as quickly as possible.

Another new lot, made up this time of disillusioned Members of the British Parliament, call themselves Change UK and want things to remain the same. Their policy of remaining in the EU mirrored by the Liberal Democrats – often on the fringes but now rocketing up the popularity polls, with support from the EU Parliament's Brexit Co-ordinator.

GUY VERHOFSTADT MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT "Because it is already clear that Brexit has done far more damage than has ever been predicted by those who made the campaign on this."

Three years after the Brexit Referendum, the EU vote represents an apparent failure of government. UK Prime Minister Theresa May planning a fourth attempt to get a Brexit deal through her Parliament, after which she'll set a date for her resignation – win or lose. Without a trace of irony, the government hopes Britain's 73 new MEPs will stay home.

RICHARD BESTIC LONDON "So, the UK then is unique among the 28 nations contesting the EU Parliamentary Elections. And at a cost of $195 million dollars, it could all be for nothing, the ultimate Brexit irony or possibly a true measure of the chaos surrounding the Brexit adventure. RB, CGTN, London."