I'm Tim Haughton and I'm reader in European politics and Director of the Centre for Russian and East European Studies. The current Euro crisis to some extent is a distraction from some of the bigger challenges and existential questions facing Europe, themes that we are looking at both in the Centre for Russian and East European Studies and more widely in the School of Government and Society.

Firstly party politics and participation; secondly, why states pull sovereignty important lessons can be drawn from this for current debates about Britain in the EU. Thirdly how large should the European Union be and what are the implications for those states left out.

The future prosperity of Britain and the world is dependent on regional structures, on pooling of sovereignty and developing links between those who govern and governing, all themes we're looking at in the School of Government and Society."