Sir,

The proportion of working-age people actually in work is much lower in the EU (and especially in the Eurozone countries with the single currency) than in other high-income countries. The explanation is at least partly that excessive regulation (notably the regulation associated with 'the Social Chapter' of the acquis communautaire) discourages companies from offering jobs. On that basis, 'EU membership destroys jobs'.

In addition, EU membership requires all member states to accept the principle of 'free movement of people' across borders. The result is that large numbers have come to the UK from other EU member states, mostly east European, in the last decade. That has reduced job opportunities for the UK-born and hence reduced the number of 'British jobs' or, at any rate, jobs for those who are UK-born and UK-resident, and with UK citizenship. So, EU membership destroys British jobs, and not, as the LIB Dems would like us all to believe, creates them..

Indeed, it is probably deemed illegal for me to talk about 'British jobs' from a European perspective as, God forbid, one mustn't be permitted to give a damn about one's own countrymen and women...only about the EU collective.

UKIP is not against foreign migrants, wherever they're from, but they are very much opposed to unlimited and unqualified immigration, to foreign control of the UK's borders, and to our mainstream parties who ignore the plight of British people being squeezed out of their own jobs market.

Will Richards

Malvern