IT matters not what you call it but we in Britain have stuck with the word "pound".

There is nothing sacrosanct about the word itself, but since sterling is the fourth strongest currency in the world, we should not throw it away in favour of the Euro or any other half-baked alternative that hasn't stood the test of time.

Mr Spiteri (You Say, December 16) and your other correspondents who think it would be a good idea to ditch the pound in favour of what is more correctly called Economic and Monetary Union would do well to bear in mind that, as part of that deal, we would not only give up our currency, we would also give up the ability to fix interest rates, mortgage rates, VAT and other taxes best suited to Britain.

All of these would be determined, and dictated to us, by the European Central Bank. Our own government would have no say.

In short, adopting EMU means having the euro and all that goes with it - a case of all or nothing. And there would be no possibility whatsoever of going back, however disastrous it might turn out to be.

We would be lumbered with it forever. It is a one-way ticket best avoided by Britain at all costs.

IAN MORRIS,

UK Independence Party,

Newtown Road, Malvern.