IN his letter of December 17 T Smith says it is wrong and somehow "humiliating" to let "Brussels rule our country...", describing the sacrifices made by British servicemen and women during the two world wars, as well as his own war service in the Royal Navy.

My father was a veteran of campaigns in Italy and North Africa, and for him the lessons of Anzio and Monte Casino were quite different. He became a wholehearted supporter of closer ties between Britain and the rest of Europe, because he had seen the alternative.

Far from letting his wartime experiences embitter him towards other Europeans, he often talked about his great admiration for his German former adversaries, and his lasting affection for Italy and its people.

Far from being "ruled" by Brussels, Britain plays a full and active role - in the Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the Commission.

With other large countries such as France and Germany, Britain has two representatives rather than one in the Commission. So, rather than being passive and "humiliated", Britain is more than adequately represented at the very heart of European decision-making. This is what Winston Churchill referred to as "larger sovereignty", those relatively small and oft-cited losses of sovereignty to "Brussels" are more than compensated for when you look at Britain's central role in such a powerful union of states.

Keith Golding,

Rue Edouard Henrard,

Auderghem,

Brussels,

Belgium.

Updated: 09:58 Wednesday, December 19, 2001