The latest edition of Total Politics includes a feature piece about Sharon Bowles, Liberal Democrat MEP and chair of the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee:

The Lib Dem MEP is a hugely powerful and yet virtually unknown British politician. She has had far more impact on our legislation than your average Westminster politician…

Although she claims to be “in favour of a healthy, vibrant City,” Bowles uses uncompromising language for bankers. She does not have much time for complaints about traders moving their businesses to other, less tightly-regulated locations. “I don’t actually believe there are only one or two great traders. There are a handful of people in the right place at the right time. There are plenty more intelligent people that could equally do the job and it’s about time that they woke up and smelt the coffee instead of perpetuating this notion that the talent will go. If they want to go and play poker with the Swiss, or go to Abu Dhabi then so be it. But they may find they don’t like it as much as living in London.”

You can read the full piece here.