IN his column, 'Dithering over the euro', Julian Cole claims the reasons given against our joining are essentially emotional.

He should study the reasoned arguments set out in a paper, The Economic Case Against The Euro. Those endorsing the document include two former permanent secretaries at the Treasury, four chief economic advisers and a former member of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee.

Space limitations allow me to quote only one extract. Peter Jay says: "British adoption of the euro cannot in the long run be reconciled with British political independence. In addition, the euro fatally prejudices Britain's long-run, international competitiveness on which our prosperity ultimately depends".

Perhaps Julian Cole will set out his response to that paper.

William Harrison,

Queen's Court,

Fetter Lane, York.

...I take issue with Julian Cole's column of January 10 in which he claims that opposition to the euro amounts to no more than 'emotion, chest-puffing and suspicion of matters foreign'.

The tide of opposition to the euro, as expressed by more than 60 per cent of the populace, is increasingly based on real concerns about the way in which we would be able to manage our own economy if we handed over control to the European Central Bank.

Even EU President Romano Prodi has said he views economic union as going hand in hand with political union.

This poses huge constitutional problems and would ultimately strip the UK Government of its ability to moderate our economy in response to specific economic conditions in this country.

For Mr Cole to describe issues such as this as a 'complication' would seem to be an understatement.

An economic experiment of the nature and scale of the euro project has never been tried before and, while the actual exchange of coins went relatively smoothly, it would be nave to dismiss the fact that since its introduction the euro has been out-performed by virtually every other currency including the Russian rouble.

The closest analogy to the euro project is that of the denarii which was the Roman currency that came to be the symbol of Roman rule throughout the Provinces.

When Britain considers adopting the euro people should bear in mind that long after the shine has worn off the new coins, they would be left holding a symbol of European rule throughout the regions.

Robert Goodwill MEP,

Yorkshire & The Humber,

Conservative,

Terrington, York.

Updated: 10:20 Friday, January 18, 2002