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		Fox’s Euro changes welcomed In East Mids Friday, 30th September 2005 Brussels – East Midlands Conservative MEPs Chris Heaton-Harris and Roger Helmer today welcomed Liam Fox’s announcement that he would withdraw the Tories from the European People's Party in the European Parliament, if elected party leader. Fox, the shadow Foreign Secretary and prominent leadership candidate explicitly committed himself to the radical policy of Tory withdrawal from the EPP in a Daily Telegraph article yesterday. Conservative membership of the EPP has long been controversial, as its primary aim of achieving “The United States of Europe", is deeply at odds with the strong euro-sceptic feeling in Britain. Commenting on the announcement, Roger Helmer said: “Back in 1999, on my first day in parliament, I realised the Conservatives, were sitting with the wrong group. We find its political positions are to the left of New Labour, and it is passionately pro the European project. Both Chris and I have campaigned against Conservative membership of the EPP ever since”. Chris Heaton-Harris added: “To many in business, Europe seems to be inward-looking and over-regulating; creating the environment where we are exporting jobs outside the EU. The EPP is part of the problem. It is more interested in protecting markets than liberalizing them, more interested in creating a European Constitution than creating jobs. Liam Fox is the first MP in a generation to see both the problem and the remedy. I hope other leadership candidates can follow his lead.”