Michael Howard has used his first leader's speech at a Conservative Party conference to put forward the most eurosceptic manifesto from a mainstream political party for over 20 years.

Promising to "bring powers back from Brussels to Britain", the Tory chief said he would reject the single currency, EU constitution, common fisheries policy and social chapter as prime minister.

The thinly veiled appeal to UK Independence Party came on the day the hardline anti-EU group was dealt a blow by the withdrawal of funds from millionaire donor Paul Sykes.

Howard also drew heavily on his personal life during the well received speech, claiming he wanted to "give back" to Britain what the country has given him.

He used the death of his mother-in-law from MRSA to attack the government and talked of how his grandmother died in a concentration camp.

His other big theme was the lack of trust in politics, which he countered by offering "accountability" and promising to sack ministers who do not deliver.