SIR - Regarding Philip Bushill Mathews' letter (September 28) - is this not a classic example of the Conservatives living in the past?

We were not members of the European Union between 1862 and 1897.

This is 2007 when more than 75 per cent of law in this country has been imposed by the European Union since Britain became a member of the common market on January 1, 1973. Section 2 of the European Communities Act 1972 established the principle that European Law would always prevail over British law in the event of a clash, thereby overthrowing the supremacy of the British Parliament.

To bring us even more up to date let me remind you of the prosecution and conviction of a Sunderland greengrocer for selling a customer a pound of bananas. Commenting on what he called a "test case of national importance" the presiding district judge said that we now operate under a "new legal order" in that the 1972 European Communities Act intentionally surrendered Parliament's sovereignty to the primacy of European law and the European courts. Surely this case alone tells us who governs this country?

TONY EAVES, Martin Hussingtree.