JULIAN Cole writes about the UKIP at length then says: "This isn't what interests me here. I don't get this mindless fretting and feretting about Europe" (June 17).

Perhaps he should take an interest before making some of the statements he makes in his article.

Europe is not the European Union. The first is a continent; the second is a costly idea in the minds of some would-be world leaders.

Supporters of the UKIP are not Europe-haters, a phrase Julian Cole keeps repeating. Most of them like Europe, many holiday in other European countries, some even have homes there.

What they are against is indeed "the waste, corruption and the eroding of our sovereignty" which has gone on since we were lied to by Edward Heath 30 years ago and by leaders of both our major parties ever since.

Mr Cole refers to the UKIP as "a tin pot protest group". I suggest he takes a look at the list of eminent statesmen and women, of all parties and none, who openly support the UKIP .

"A strong European Union has stopped us fighting wars with each other" is another fallacy.

The two European wars of the last century were both the result of attacks by a strong Germany against countries on her borders. Since the Second World War, Germany has not had the capability of waging war and for much of that time the peace has really been kept by the two nuclear powers facing each other with a large lump of Europe in between.

I agree with Julian Cole about the various other menaces which the world faces. What a pity he blunted the impact of his article by the way he wrote about the EU.

L Mackenzie,

Elmpark View, York.

...IT seems to me that the overblown and bombastic statements from UKIP do not add up, mathematically as well as literally. With the support of just 17 per cent of the electorate, how can they claim to represent the views of the majority?

It seems that 83 per cent of the electors voted for parties who are nearly all in favour of the European Union to some degree.

UKIP came last in polls in Scotland therefore have no mandate to claim to represent the views of the Scots and I would suggest they should remove the UK prefix in the party name.

It is a great pity that the areas who have ended up with a UKIP MEP (surely a contradiction) have effectively no representation in the European Parliament.

As for UKIP saving us all from bureaucratic interference with everyday life, I am sure none of us would tolerate such a thing, apart from the Barbican fiasco, rising bollards, doubling parking charges, increased traffic congestion, rising council taxes etc.

Charlie Stone,

Millfield Road,

York.

Updated: 11:17 Tuesday, June 22, 2004