When it comes to Europe, do you want to be ‘in’ or ‘out’? That’s the question at the heart of next month’s elections for our representatives in the European Parliament, and played out last week in a televised leaders’ debate.

Like more than three quarters of small businesses, I and the Liberal Democrats think Britain is better off in Europe, not least because more than three million British jobs are linked to our membership. That’s why we’re campaigning to keep us IN – to protect British jobs and work closely with our neighbours on tackling international crime and climate change.

Over the past couple of weeks, Nick Clegg has been taking that argument directly to UKIP and their leader Nigel Farage, in two televised debates. With neither David Cameron nor Ed Miliband willing to play their part, Nick is the only leader fighting to keep Britain in Europe and in work.

Local businesses are better off because they can export their goods and services freely to other European Union countries. In fact, many international companies are based here precisely because of that access to European markets. That’s why nine out of ten car manufacturers, for example, want Britain to stay in the EU.

Whether it be car tyres or bicycles, office furniture or machine components, railway signalling or brake systems, hard-working people in our part of Wiltshire are still making things and selling them to customers abroad, helping the country earn its living. Being well-placed to export goods and do business in Europe is vitally important to the health of the local economy and the jobs on which so many local families depend. That’s why it’s so important to have Euro MPs like my Liberal Democrat colleague Graham Watson helping local employers make a living from winning business in Europe.

Last week the European Parliament continued to make us better off in, with a decision to scrap mobile phone roaming charges across the European Union.

While most of the Euro MPs who represent Wiltshire refused to back this welcome change, Lib Dem Graham Watson voted for it to make travelling abroad simpler and cheaper for everyone. Think of that next time someone complains of laws originating in Europe!

After a busy constituency surgery in Bradford on Avon last weekend, my next will be at The Pound arts centre in Corsham on Tuesday, April 22, 10.30am to noon and at Melksham Town Hall on Wednesday, April 23, 10.30am to noon.