In the few years up to 2003, the EU managed to inflict 200,000 regulations on to this once happy nation.

Almost 80 per cent of the laws reaching the statute book come directly from Brussels.

Our increasingly marginalised politicians allow this by the cynical misuse of statutory instruments - which means no openness, no debate.

We can no longer even decide that the prisoners in our jails should forfeit their rights to vote.

Those EU lovers who 'simply don't get it' that there are so many of us anti EU would do well to take the blinkers off for once.

Oh, and before you make the usual xenophobic accusations please remember that it is the undemocratic and corrupt EU that we hate - not Europeans.

Jeanette Jenkinson,

Kingston Road,

Willberby,

East Yorkshire.

...TONY Blair and Gordon Brown expect pensioners to live on a pittance, but at the same time allow hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants into our country with the overwhelming impact on costs of housing, health, transport, welfare etc, yet pretend they have it all under control while in reality they have no idea of the numbers involved.

The devastating fact is that because of our continued membership of the EU, with the support of the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives - the Lib, Lab, Con - we shall have no control over our borders what so ever.

Enough is enough. Our island is full.

With taxes, rules and regulations stifling us, millions of pensioners who have worked hard and saved all their lives see their hopes dashed.

The first duty of an elected government is to enhance the lives of its own citizens, but I fear that their own self-interest comes way out in front.

When Blair says that it would be good for us to sign up to the EU constitution and that it wouldn't mean any further loss of our sovereignty does anybody believe him?

Stephen Feaster

Chairman, Ryedale branch, UK Independence Party

High Farm,

Cropton,

Pickering

Updated: 09:36 Monday, April 12, 2004