Oxford's northern capital of culture rivals are not European enough to win, according to the man behind the city's bid.
Robert Hutchison, chief executive of Oxford Inspires, the consortium behind the bid, attacked rivals Newcastle/ Gateshead and Liverpool, insisting Oxford had stronger links with Europe.
He pointed to ties between academics, scientists, museums, towns and schools.
Mr Hutchison, who is travelling to Oxford's German twin city Bonn on Wednesday, May 28, as part of Oxford-Bonn week, said intelligent and educated Europeans would not choose Liverpool or Newcastle over Oxford.
He said: "Oxford is the most European city. It irritates the people in the other cities to hear that because it happens to be true."
He dismissed UK Independence Party MEP Nigel Farage's claim that Oxford should shun European funding if it won because it would be "obliged to promote a centralised and undemocratic European Union".
Mr Farage, an MEP for South East England, said: "I am not against the culture bids, I just believe they should come without the EU propaganda."
The Government will announce the winner of the 2008 title, also contested by Newcastle/ Gateshead, Bristol, Liverpool, Birmingham and Cardiff, on June 4.
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