Hi everyone, welcome to this latest in the UK and a changing Europe unlock series.

I'm going to do that really annoying thing now and say, my guest tonight needs no introduction and then introduce him.

It's Professor Sir John Curtis, who's Professor of Politics at the University of Strath-Clyde. He's also a senior fellow with UK and Changing Europe.

Basically worked with us from the start, haven't you?

I have indeed, Jess, but it's one of the most pressing decisions

that I've ever known the Economic and Social Research Council made.

It actually decided to start you before the 2015 election.

Yep. We officially started on the 1st of May, about two days before the election. And then, of course,

David Cameron won the overall majority he never anticipated, and the rest is history.

Indeed. What he didn't say has been the best 10 years of his career working with us,

but it was implied in his answer. Now, I regret to say I have lost a battle before this evening.

John and I agree on many things, and the one thing we fell out about at a conference recently

was we were in a room like this, and I said to the audience, even if you're in the room,

I want you to put your

questions on slide oh so it's a level playing field between people in the room

and people watching online and John said if you've got people in the room let them

speak so even though it goes against all my instincts because I like to be in

control we have got roving mics and I will say two things to you.

Firstly, and don't abuse this, if you hear something and have a pressing point or question your clarification you would like,

stick your hand up and I'll try and squeeze you in.

And we'll try and take a few questions from the audience as we go and be as inclusive as we can.

But let's just see how we get on, because I've got hundreds of questions to ask as well.

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