From its hopeful entry into the European project in 1973 to the bitterness of Brexit, the UK's relationship with the EU has always been a tumultuous one. Bill Newton Dunn charts these shifting tides in this vivid, personal account of a political life spent at the heart of the European Parliament as its longest-serving MEP.

With his dry wit and unsparing honesty, Newton Dunn brings to life the dramas, debates and diplomatic showdowns that marked a turbulent era, whether it be Thatcher demanding Britain's money back, cross-border crime or interpreters' strikes. Along the way, he chronicles the currents of Euroscepticism, the complex dance between Westminster and Brussels and the hard-fought efforts to further European unity.

But more than just a political history, Continental Drift is rich with behind-the-scenes stories, sharp observations and colourful pen portraits of the characters who shaped Europe, from British premiers and fiery backbenchers to European visionaries and bureaucratic bruisers, not to mention impassioned Communists and rumoured mafiosi. Perhaps most crucially, this lively memoir offers a peek behind the curtain to show what it really means to be an MEP.

Candid, compelling and frequently funny, this is a timely reflection on the UK's place in Europe and what was lost when the flag came down.