MATTHEW Clarke (You Say, December 21) defends the Conservative Party as the only genuine alternative to the federal Labour or Lib Dems.
Indeed, I once accepted his logic and voted Conservative for precisely those reasons. However, in future, I will follow Val Cowell's example (You Say, December 10) and vote for the UK Independence Party.
They had three MEPs elected at the last European elections and a vote for them is the only means of expressing democratic discontent concerning the European Union. I now reject the Conservatives because:
1 Their MEPs ally themselves with the European People's Party - a pro-federalist group.
2 I had the good fortune to read the following extract from a Conservative Group for Europe magazine:
"In current times it is important to be virulently euro-sceptic in your rhetoric and if this means concealing your real beliefs - don't worry.
"Remember two things; you are a politician, so lying comes naturally, and secondly it is just for one night. Tomorrow they will have forgotten your name, so you can go on being a federalist with a clear conscience."
In its attempt to be "all things to all men", the Conservative Party has forfeited its right to my vote.
JONATHAN ARNOTT,
Handsworth, Sheffield.
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