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Christopher Heaton-Harris tells me he doesn't mind being one of the less compliant new MPs.

"We have 22 Lib Dem ministers, so there's not many of the new intake who can look forward to being promoted, which in some ways gives us a bit more licence," he laughs.

And already he's made his feelings known. The new MP for Daventry is a qualified football referee and he likes his sport.

Before he stood down as an MEP for the East Midlands (he served two terms from 1999) Mr Heaton-Harris became the President of the , a group of approximately 40 MEPs who have an interest in sport and sporting issues.

So he was not impresssed by the government's plans to axe the School Sports Partnerships. "That was a big mistake and I told them so," he says.

Last week he argued strongly during the reading of the .

He called himself a pragmatic Euro sceptic but did not bring himself to vote against the bill on the grounds that you need to pick the right targets.

He told the House: "Maybe at some point in this parliament we can have a referendum on Europe ... I would love an "in or out" referendum.

"Based on where we are now and what we have, it would certainly be "out". I want the British people to have their say on our relationship with Europe and I also want them to be engaged in what is going on in their name in this place and in the negotiations."

He is not alone. A number of MPs, particularly in Northamptonshire, feel strongly -especially about Europe - and who are not afraid to speak out.

They're something of an awkward squad and seem to be proving more of a thorn in the coalition's side than the expected backlash from "progressive" Lib Dems.

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