Sir Bill Cash CH (born 10 May 1940), is a veteran British Conservative politician and one of the most influential Eurosceptic figures in modern UK politics. Educated at Stonyhurst College and Lincoln College, Oxford, where he read History, Cash qualified as a solicitor and built a legal career before entering Parliament.

First elected as MP for Stafford in a 1984 by-election, he represented the seat until 1997 before serving Stone in Staffordshire from 1997 until his retirement at the 2024 general election — a parliamentary career spanning exactly 40 years. He became the oldest sitting MP after the 2019 election.

Cash’s enduring legacy lies in his tireless campaigning against European integration. From the 1980s, he emerged as a leading critic of the EU, founding the Maastricht Referendum Campaign in the early 1990s to oppose the Maastricht Treaty. He chaired the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee for many years, rigorously examining EU legislation and holding governments to account. Described by Kenneth Clarke as Parliament’s most Eurosceptic MP, Cash played a pivotal role in the long struggle for Brexit, shaping Conservative Eurosceptic thought and influencing key debates over sovereignty, national identity, and parliamentary supremacy.

Even after Brexit, he remained an outspoken voice on constitutional issues. In later years, he campaigned vigorously for a full statutory national inquiry into grooming gangs and organised child sexual exploitation, highlighting systemic failures by authorities. Knighted and appointed a Companion of Honour, Sir Bill Cash’s influence stems from his principled persistence rather than high ministerial office. He is widely regarded as a formidable backbench campaigner who helped redefine Britain’s relationship with Europe.