Nick Clegg to accuse Ukip leader Nigel Farage over Brussels voting record

Having challenged Mr Farage to a debate on the EU before key elections in May, Mr Clegg will admit during a speech to the CER that the EU has faults and should be "pushed back". He will call for the "wasteful" second parliament in Strasbourg to be binned and for more progress developing the single market.

"Where the EU has become intrusive, it needs to be pushed back," he will say.

"We want to keep the UK opted out of rules we believe are damaging, like the 48-hour cap on the working week in the Working Time Directive.

"Working with our allies, the UK is already taking action to cut excessive EU red tape, saving thousands of pounds for thousands of small business across Britain."

Turning to Mr Farage, Mr Clegg is due to say: "Nigel Farage and deputy leader Paul Nuttall rarely turn up to vote in the European Parliament, despite being happy to take their tax-payer-funded salaries.

"Ukip MEPs refuse to roll up their sleeves and get down to work. Nigel Farage hasn't tabled a single amendment to EU legislation since July 2009."

He said Mr Farage and his colleagues were "failing to stand up for" issues that would help Britain - pointing out that they had abstained on the EU-US trade agreement and voted against mobile phone roaming regulations that cut costs for holidaymakers.