Having read the article in today's Times, I thought I would have a peep at  your list !

You list me as a Europhile and I can live with that, even if there are large  areas of European policy on which you would describe me as Eurosceptic, if  you had followed my views.  I certainly supported William Hague's "In Europe but not run by Europe" line at our European election, not just because it was the party line but because I believe it to be a sensible and balanced philosophy for Europe.  Where I take issue with you, however, is your own definition of Europhile as in favour of giving up the pound and joining the Euro.  At every stage I have made it clear that I am not just against the Euro but hostile to it.  I will accept the party line of ruling it out at the next election but my personal view is that we should rule it out, full stop.

My reason is that I believe the Euro to be not just an economic question but, more importantly, a constitutional one.  I know that politicians are not supposed to say never, but .....!

I appreciate you have over-narrowed your categories to the two opposed positions of -phile and -sceptic.  Personally I think there is a third category of -phobe.  If you had used that as well, you might well have put me more or less in the sceptic grouping.  I think, at the very least, you need to recognise that some of us are in favour of the European concept, critical of some or many of its practices and wholly hostile to the Euro.  I leave it to you to refine your information as you think fit.  Best wishes.

John Bowis MEP

Dear Mr Bowis,

Many thanks for your informative e-mail.  I agree that your views are hard to classify, and the best I can do is change you to a don't know.  I hope you will accept it as fair if I publish your e-mail so that others can make their own conclusions about where you stand on the most important issue of the day.

With my best wishes.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Sean Gabb
Candidlist Webmaster