EURO-sceptic, Euro-spy and Euro-MP.... UK Independent Party representative, Nigel Farage South East MEP, is perfectly clear on why he's at the European Parliament.

Nigel said: "I suppose in way I am a spy in that I occupy a role at the Parliament purely so that I can keep track of the abuses and corruption that exists there.

"But I prefer to look on this as more of a job to monitor the activities and conduct of members and report back, fairly and accurately, to the people of Britain just exactly what goes on there.

"As far as I'm concerned the European Union as a whole is rotten to the core. I challenge the people of the Fylde coast to ask their local MEP how much they spent on actual travel costs to get to the last plenary session of the Parliament at Strasbourg.

"Then ask how much they actually claimed back in expenses. I fully expect that there will be a difference, running into hundreds of Euros, in their favour on what is claimed back.

"I am also a member of the Parliament to continue to raise the profile of and get money for the UK Independent Party."

Born in 1964 in Farnborough, Hampshire, Nigel is no stranger to continental Europe.

His wife hails from Hamburg, Germany, and he had a spell working as a commodity broker for Credit Lyonnais. He is keen to point out that he is not 'Anti-Europe' but feels that: "they need us more than we need them."

He said: "There are so many myths surrounding Britain's membership of the EU.

"By standing as a state alone we will not destroy trade relations or alienate ourselves from the rest of the western world.

"Do we believe that BMW, Audi and Renault will no longer sell their goods to us if we are not EU members?

"The EU exists simply to harmonise and pasteurise the fantastic mix of cultures and individuality of Europe by making the entire continent into a state system.

"I see no logical reason to create a Republic of Britain. The fact of the matter is they need us more than we need them."