The European Parliament was yesterday lucky (?) enough to be treated to a hilarious spat between arch Eurosceptic Tory Roger Helmer and the former leader of the Conservative MEPs (turned Lib Dem) Bill Newton-Dunn. Both aired their dirty washing in a series of reply-to-all emails that dropped into the inbox of every British MEP and their increasingly amused assistants.

For your enjoyment I'll re-print the row in full (to make clear who's saying what I've italicised Roger Helmer's comments):


"It makes me proud to think that we have to go cap-in-hand to the EU Commission for permission to spend our own money."


"But, as even Roger knows but is unwilling to admit, it is not UK money. Years ago the UK parliament made over part of its VAT revenues to the EU to be the EU's own resources."


"Yet another reason why we should be Better Off Out".


"Which is not your party's policy. Why not be honest, just for once, and join UKIP?"


"Dangerous ground, here, Bill. You may accuse me of many things, but dishonesty is not one of them. I have been absolutely clear and direct about my views on Europe -- which is what gets up your nose."


"Not at all. You twist, distort, sail close to the wind implying things...you are deeply dishonest - not least with yourself, since everybody knows you should be in UKIP"


"As I have frequently observed, Bill, you need a dictionary, as you seem to have a poor grasp of the plain meaning of words".


"Your self-delusion is that you are honest - like fundamentalist religious preachers who preach one thing but are really something very different. Ring any bells ?"