I WAS disappointed to find that one of your readers seems to have been taken in by the bizarre theories in the alternative-history book "The Great Deception" (Letters, October 13).

This book attempts to convince readers that the European Union is one big conspiracy theory, designed to divide and conquer its member countries. Unfortunately, the book itself is regarded by genuine historians as codswallop.

It relies heavily on research by a Professor Moravcsik at Princeton University. But the very same professor has dismissed it as a book "peddling a secret history... only on the basis of severe historical and statistical distortion".

He also says the authors repeatedly "obfuscate", "obscure facts" and "fail to mention" key conclusions of the studies they quote.

In reality, there's nothing sinister about the European Union. So I recommend Mr Barnes reads a little more around the subject before he starts panicking about the imminent demise of the UK.

Toby Wardman,

Harington Avenue, York.

Updated: 10:43 Monday, October 17, 2005