DEBATE has been raging in recent weeks on this website about Britain's place in Europe.

It is clearly a huge issue for those who have left comments online.

We would question, however, how big a deal our membership of the European Union is for everyone else.

The problem with this debate - and we would not wish to stifle it - is that there appear to be utterly entrenched views on either side of the debate. The result is that those in the middle ground appear to be finding it difficult to make their voices heard.

It appears as though this is a battle between those with a socialist desire for a European utopia on one side and those fuelled by xenophobia and a belief in Britain's greatness on the other.

That is how the battle lines have been drawn but the protagonists appear to be those with the loudest voices.

We are sure there is a rational debate to be had on Britain's future in relation to the EU. But we are far from convinced that is what we are getting.

That does not make this newspaper an apologist for either side of the argument. We are happy to host the debate.

We would just like to see it based more upon reason that sabre rattling.