The European Commission wants to impose drastic restrictions on people's freedom to work overtime.

If the bureaucrats get their way, this will seriously damage businesses and jobs across London and the south-east by making it much more difficult for companies to compete for business and provide top class goods and service for consumers.

The commission's proposal would end people's freedom to opt out of the 48-hour maximum working week set down by the EU working time directive.

The plans have been condemned by business leaders and wealth creators but Labour MEPs are backing Brussels and want to see our opt-out scrapped.

While we must protect workers from being exploited, there is no reason to stop people who choose to work more than 48 hours.

Many jobs in the capital depend upon people being able to work longer hours when necessary and thousands value the opportunity to work overtime.

Labour MEPs should not give in to the nanny state approach from Brussels; they should stand up for the right of Londoners to make their own decisions about their working life.

Theresa Villiers MEP Conservative Member of the European Parliament for London