SIR – I am truly grateful to Mark Starr. At least he has had a crack at answering the question and he asks us to believe that, apparently, our country’s leaders are not driven by what they believe to be right for the country, but, rather, by their own egos and “a bigger stage on which to parade”.

Sorry – and here I know that I am inviting cynicism and sneers – but that is just not my experience. This could not be, because members of the main political parties, including MPs, would not allow it – and that’s before we start talking about the electorate at large. That is simply not how political organisations work. In the end, and over the whole piece, there has to be broad consent.

Isn’t Mr Starr the chap who fairly regularly writes with detailed charges against the EU only to be put right as to the facts a few days later by a patient letter from one of our senior MEPs?

There is actually a most patriotic case to be made for membership of Europe.

In fact, I have on my bookshelf a paperback of that very title.

DAVID BARLOW, Worcester.