The EU costs every household in Britain up to £2,000 a year according to independent experts. EU rules make up at least 6 out of 10 of our laws. So whatever you think of the EU, there's no denying it is very important. As a country we are a net contributor the to massive EU budget, and we are entitled to constantly challenge what we get in return.

The  EU is  remote from people. So people feel powerless to influence what actually goes on there. Whatever the people  say and however they vote, people think it will make no difference. And you can see why. Just look at the way Ireland is being told to vote again on the Lisbon treaty as they had the cheek to give the "wrong" answer last time. Mind you at least they got a referendum, Gordon Brown broke his manifesto promise to the British people when he said 'No' to a referendum on the treaty.

Britain has long been a nation with an independent spirit. So the idea of a Federal Europe and the Euro means little to many people. Nick de Bois believes our aim should be to benefit from a really positive free trade relationship with Europe, that way we can do business with our neighbours which is the best way to sharing prosperity amongst countries. But do we really need the rest of it - the Commission, all these laws and the stunning cost of it all? Nick de Bois will always challenge the role of the EU and Britain' role in the organisation and not submissively accept that what comes from the EU as inevitable.