Why lock ourselves into failure?

Eighty-five per cent of British trade is within Britain, and of the remaining 15 per cent only 42 per cent (i.e. some 5 per cent of the total trade) is with EU countries.

As EU economies go into terminal decline under the treble whammies of the euro, over-regulation and falling population, while the Far East booms, that proportion can only decline.

Why would we want to lock ourselves into this failing, bureaucratic anti-democratic model?

According to a detailed study by the Institute of Directors "EU membership - the bottom line" some three years ago, membership of the EU, taking everything

into account, then cost us "at least £15bn pa, more likely £25bn pa", and would be double that within the single currency.

A recent study by Civitas estimated the cost of membership now as £40bn pa plus.

The IoD study and others confirm that leaving the EU altogether would increase our standard of living, while even the National Institute for Social Economic Affairs, an admittedly europhile organisation, stated in a report produced for Britain in Europe that there would be no significant economic costs if we left.

Even Neil Kinnock admitted on air that "there would be no trade recriminations.

As for a "strong Europe" to "thwart America", the EU is largely a Franco-German construct, and while Mr Spiteri might recall the last war differently, most British people still remember who the good guys really are.

IDRIS FRANCIS,

West Meon,

Petersfield, Hampshire.