C Clayton writes (15th Dec) a letter with the heading “Better off without the EU Membership”.

Then claims it costs us £45 million a day. No, it does not.

As ever with those who are anti our membership of the European Union, they refuse to allow for the huge sums we receive back in rebates. The New Forest is just one local example.

We need peace and co-operation throughout Europe, free trading to enable easier exporting to those nearest to us here in the UK. We need action against pollution and contamination.

We are not and never will be large compared to the likes of the USA, China, or India and if we in Britain stand any chance to be competitive, it is to belong to the EU.

There is no British Empire, which was only obtained through invading other countries and all that went with it.

The Commonwealth is too far spread out around the globe to make economic sense.

C Clayton says 90 per cent of people want to leave the EU.

Again, that is not the case.

Ask any exporting company or firm, ask those who actually care and want to save this planet.

Those who would not want to go to war again against our own kind.

I admit, as do many MEPs, especially the Liberal Democrat ones, the whole system does need to be tightened up to avoid waste, including expenses claims by their members.

The single currency has hit problems, there is no denying that, but do you honestly believe that Sterling can compete when we are massively in debt for decades to come?

The Euro will recover because it has to. The US dollar is weak and will be for a long time especially when you have a nation which elects a new President after two terms, if he or she lasts that long. Then probably a change in political parties.

They don’t have an opportunity to get to grips with their own domestic policies. At least here, with the right approach we could have the same Prime Minster for as long as people vote them in.

If you want Liberalism and Democracy, then vote for it, stop criticising and instead make it work.

You might well say the EU is a massive quango, but you can say that of all governments. It also employs thousand upon thousands of people who could be instead out of work.

Finally, I say encourage Ireland to join the UK and we here have a British Euro currency which we can exchange within the expanding Euro Zone. Each country keeping their own central Banks and rules for taxation. But do away with exchange rate fees.

We make life far too complicated, and to avoid that, we must get involved and not be couch critics.

Richard Grant, Bisterne Close, Burley