Much spin and twaddle being spouted about EU

I can't believe some of the twaddle being spouted about coming out of the EU – there is more spin than a child's top!

Most of those yelling the loudest are under-50s who have never known, or are too young to remember, what it is to stand on your own two feet, to live in a democracy or to be productive without a foreign master telling them what to do, say and think.

Frankly, those harbingers of doom and gloom are insulting beyond belief, trying to paint a picture that our very survival is totally dependent on a select few overpaid, over-stuffed nonentities who couldn't give a fig about this country, except to control it unequivocally.

The EU is a car crash, limping along going from one disaster to the next and buckling under the weight of its own nonsensical ideals. Do we really want to be part of this?

The business sectors are having palpitations that the EU gravy train, where their well-padded bottoms have been comfortable for so long, will be snatched away from them.

Our Government is running around like a headless chicken in sheer panic that they may have to actually govern if we came out.

What a debacle! We joined this EU union purely as a common market and nothing more.

We have been led blindfolded into what it has become today – a grotesque invasion of freedom and democracy and those in power will do whatever it takes to silence the eurosceptics through petty name calling and end-is-nigh scenarios.

We are better than that. We should rise above these immature portents.

S Newby, Wigston.

Eric Goodyer's latest letter ("Pickles' policies are a shambles", Mailbox, January 17) on the subject of Europe was full of the usual misrepresentations and scare stories.

He stated that if the Conservatives took Britain out of the European Union, 2.8 million Britons living on the continent would be forced to return to the UK and would be in need of housing.

I have not seen any reports that the British Government plans to deport European citizens in the event of a UK withdrawal from Europe.

Therefore, it is thoroughly offensive to suggest that civilised countries such as France and Spain would carry out Soviet-style deportations.

Indeed, the Britons living in Spain, mostly being retired, contribute greatly to the Spanish economy, drawing their income from the UK but spending their money in Spain.

Nor do they take jobs from Spaniards. Only a financial illiterate would wish to see them leave.

Many of these people have also been granted "residencia", giving them an inalienable right to live in Spain.

Sadly, Mr Goodyer's was not the only letter that day which contained misrepresentations.

Michael Snowden, in an unworthy attack on pensions minister, Ian Duncan Smith – who is respected by politicians of all parties – suggested that the Conservatives regarded the unemployed as "skivers".

I have not heard of any minister or MP using this term, so it seems to be another attempt by a Labour supporter to put words in the mouths of the Conservatives on the basis that "mud sticks".

This follows on from the campaign against Andrew Mitchell, who was accused of calling a police officer a "pleb" something which is now again in dispute.

However, this did not stop Labour supporters writing to the Mercury stating this as a fact, or the Labour leader Ed Miliband from repeating this accusation on numerous occasions.

So it is beginning to look as if the only policy the Labour Party has is a policy of smears and misrepresentation.

Peter West, Tarragona (formerly of Birstall).

The ease with which Eric Goodyer is able to inform people of his pro-EU views is matched by the ease by which he spreads scare when writing about immigration and emigration.

His inference (Mailbox, January 17) that 2.8 million Brits might have to return to the UK if we leave the EU is as unsupported by hard evidence, as is the idea that three million Brits might lose their jobs should we leave.

George West, Groby.

The Fresh Start Group's venom (and that of many other vocal opponents of the EU) seems to centre on the Working Time Directive. I wonder how many of them have to start work before 8am and must finish after 6pm, with only 30 minutes for lunch?

Because that is what they are campaigning for.

Eric Goodyer, Colsterworth.

In answer to Eric Goodyer, ("Thatcher saw isolation danger", Mailbox, January 18), Margaret Thatcher, while happy with Britain trading with Europe, saw the dangers of a single currency and warned of the collapse of smaller countries joining the financial black hole that is the eurozone.

Nothing clever from Maggie, just basic common sense.

As for Eric's other comments about us being able to travel freely around Europe – barring wartime, we always have been able to.

G. Earp, Whetstone.

There is a lot of noise and thunder at the moment regarding a referendum on our membership of the EU.

But both sides seem to emphasise the negative aspects of our relationship with the EU.

Might it not be better if we were more positive – decided what it is that we want and then tried to obtain it?

My impression is that most people like the idea of free trade in Europe – it's good for business, jobs and travel. It's what our people signed up for.

What they do not like is the EU sticking its nose into matters that are none of its concern – how we run our own country, what we think is right and wrong.

There are at least two rich countries in Europe which already have this attitude, in Norway and Switzerland.

There are certainly others who feel the same. Shouldn't we talk to those of a like mind and see if we cannot organise a free trade union of our own? Including countries which are not part of the EU?

If we did, then instead of all this griping about our relationship with the EU, we might start to think about what should be the EU's relationship with us and the other members of this group who think like us. Maybe the EU's members would sign up to our idea instead.

Russ Ball, Leicester.