PAUL Blanchard states that "European law overrides national law and has always done so" (Letters, April 6). He is wrong.

Since Edward Heath took us into what we were led to believe was the European free trade area, various governments have surrendered our Westminster Parliament's monopoly of making and unmaking laws in this country.

This is a criminal breach of statute and is contrary to the 789-year-old British constitution.

Tony Blair has said there are "lines in the sand which we will not cross". I take that to mean that we will retain the right to veto certain items of legislation which he thinks would be to the disadvantage of the UK.

He says nothing about the other 32 items over which we are asked to give up the veto. I suggest we have a right to know what these items are and that we should be given an opportunity to state our opinion on them.

Paul Blanchard says: "We must resist the Tories' Eurosceptic opportunistic nonsense". Michael Howard MP said in February: "I am determined that Britain shall remain a positive and influential member of the European Union." Is that being Eurosceptic?

L Mackenzie,

Elmpark View,

York.

Updated: 11:48 Thursday, April 08, 2004