Parliamentarians perform many roles - they legislate, they supervise the executive and the budget, and they represent the views of their electorate and seek to lead and influence opinion. They should also, in my view, stand up for the national interest and particular local interests. MEPs are no different from MPs in this respect. We can table questions to the Council, where British Government Ministers sit, and to the European Commission, which has its own quasi-governmental powers, and which initiates almost all EU legislation. We can also write directly to Government Ministers and other authorities.

   

But if we want to give added strength to our concerns and political campaigns and enlist wider support, we make speeches and seek to air our views through the media. Every week I issue press releases and address meetings and groups from across the East of England, as well as in the Parliament - both in the committees, where much of the day to day business is conducted, and in its Plenary Sessions.

  

I welcome invitations to speak on a variety of subjects to Conservative Associations, to schools and universities, to public meetings and to non-Party interest groups and organisations such as Rotary and the WI.

Below you can find direct links to my most recent speeches at the European Parliament. Unlike at the Palace of Westminster, debate in Brussels and Strasbourg is strictly curtailed, and regrettably I am usually able to speak for only two minutes.