Nadine Dorries’ monthly column: We need less Europe, not more

This coincides with data showing Europe is now the third most important issue to voters who are entirely fed up with the undemocratic and unaccountable EU imposing their diktats from Brussels and damaging our competitiveness at a time when the economy needs it most.

80 of my colleagues and I are feeling a quiet sense of vindicated satisfaction about all this. Back in October we rebelled against an entirely unnecessary three-line whip and registered our call for a referendum on continuing British membership of the EU.

Nick Clegg is a rabid Europhile, like so many others who have supped from the generous Brussels cup. For him Europe is a political project much more than an economic one and he believes the answer to almost all our problems lie in deeper, further and faster integration.

Cameron and Clegg did the right thing in the national interest in forming the coalition government, but that was about solving the economic problems here in the UK, eradicating the deficit and promoting jobs and growth.

Tory backbench MPs, grassroots party members and most of the electorate are now all singing from the same hymn sheet. The answer to the economic problems facing this country is less Europe, not more. Less intrusive and bureaucratic regulation stifling business, less money sent to Brussels when we are having to cut public expenditure at home and a return of powers to Westminster.

David Cameron cannot go on allowing the Lib Dems to force a more integrationist line in government. If Nick Clegg is so sure of his position let him put it to the electorate. The current polls suggest that such a course of action would result in a Parliament almost devoid of Lib Dem MPs.

With Labour incapable of opposition, let alone government, and the Liberals determined to follow a path of electoral suicide, David Cameron should adopt a tough line on Europe and tell Clegg to either accept it or face oblivion.