REGARDING the UK Independence Party's belief that the UK should be an independent state in the world, I take independence as meaning "freedom from control or influence of another or others".

Could they tell me when this country was every independent? When was this golden time?

During the Falklands War, if the United States had not supported us, we would not have won.

In the 1970s we were bankrupt and had financial support from the International Monetary Fund.

We had to withdraw from the Suez conflict because of US pressure. Throughout history we have never been totally independent from other countries.

G LEWIS,

Duke of Edinburgh Way,

Malvern.