ONCE again, Mark Lazenby (You Say, Saturday, April 14) either takes other people's statements out of context, or relies upon assertions in favour of facts.

I recently wrote that the Conservatives conned us into joining the European Union, but Mr Lazenby has replied that "they just wanted to make themselves look good".

I don't know what he means by that, but Cabinet papers, released under the 30-year rule show that Sir Edward Heath's Government was well aware that our membership of a Common Market would lead to a European Union, in which national Governments would steadily give up more and more powers.

Yet the voters of this country were given the impression that we would be joining a trading association.

As Mr Lazenby likes quotations, here is one from Why You Should Vote Yes!, a Government leaflet from the 1975 referendum: "English common law is not affected. For a few commercial and industrial purposes, there is a need for community law; but our criminal law, trial by jury and presumption of innocence remain unaltered. So do our civil rights."

We thought we knew what we were voting for, but now we know what we've got. I say it was a confidence trick, and that we should demand a proper debate, while there is still time for the UK to withdraw.

New Labour, and its Lib Dem stooges, simply do not wish to discuss these issues.

I am not prepared to accept this situation and neither, I believe, will millions of other Britons.

If we all simply vote along party lines this time then we don't deserve our independence or our freedom.

R G SPENCER,

Court Road, Malvern.