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PM's education lacking

THE Prime Minister, with his recent comments of the prospect of war should the UK disengage itself from the political restraints imposed by its membership of the EU, has surely confirmed that an Eton education is not all it’s cracked up to be.

He suggests that an isolationist position has never served our country well and illustrates this by referring to famous battles such as Trafalgar and Waterloo, adding for effect the Great War and the Second World War.

Alas, history isn’t quite so kind or supportive of Mr Cameron’s argument.

France and Germany have historically been motivated to achieve the dominant position in mainland Europe, hence Napoleon’s attempt to subjugate neighbouring countries, something he had in common with Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm.

Victory against the might of Germany in the Second World War was achieved in spite of our so-called European allies, many of who simply laid down their arms and surrendered in the face of the seemingly unstoppable German juggernaut.

We should be absolutely clear that Europe was saved by a military alliance of British, Commonwealth and Empire troops ably assisted by the Russians (not altogether actuated by altruism) and latterly by the Americans.

It is also the case that ‘war’ has occurred on European soil after the formation of the first incarnation of the current EU and Brussels was unable to do anything to prevent it.

Mr Cameron likes to assert that Churchill would have been a ‘remainer’, something he knows is without a scintilla of truth.

Britain’s greatest Prime Minister was unequivocally clear regarding the relationship this country should have with Europe, he wrote: “We are with Europe, but not of it. We are linked, but not comprised. We are interested and associated, but not absorbed.”

Finally, Mr Cameron seeks to portray the act of voting Brexit to be un-patriotic.

I suggest he is wrong on this count also. A patriot is someone who defends their country’s freedom or rights, not someone who offers them up to another power.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive, Swindon

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EU boosts our economy

IT HAS been argued by many Brexit supporters that the UK did fine before the EU because we are the fifth largest economy in the world.

However, they don’t mention that evidence since 1986 shows that it’s due to the UK’s membership of the EU that we are such a large economy and that our wages are as high as they are now.

Research from London First and Frontier Economics research also points to a strong relationship between trade openness and labour productivity. The trade-creating effects of EU membership alone likely accounted for 23-31 per cent of growth in labour productivity.

Given the close relationship between labour productivity growth and real wage growth, the estimated impact on real wages in the UK thanks to our EU membership has been to increase annual average wages by about £1,800.

I’ll say that again: Yet another respected economics group has calculated that local residents are better off in the EU by an average of £150 a month.

Michael Gove, one of the cheerleaders of the Vote Leave campaign, says he wants to see Britain out of the Single Market.

Think what you will about our relationship with the EU, but to want to leave the Single Market would be economic suicide and the only people who would suffer are the British public.

ALEX HEGENBARTH

Head of Britain Stronger In Europe

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I blame faceless oinks

WE ARE being told by Mr Cameron and his puppet Mr Osborne that, if we leave the EU, we are heading for the Third World War.

That, to me, is really scraping the barrel and all he is doing is trying to put the frighteners on everyone.

Where has he got this gem from? For the past 2,000 years we in this great and green land have stood against the bullies from Europe and I have absolute, total respect for the generations in all the wars that have stood up and fought so we as a nation can be free and have the freedom to say and do what we like, within the law of course, and not be dictated to by a bunch of faceless oinks in another country.

Mr Cameron, after a great deal of thought and after your latest harebrained press release you have made my mind up for me. I will vote to Leave.

I really do believe you and most of the people attending Westminster are on another planet; to try and use the graves of all those heroes and heroines on all sides is beyond contempt.

Soldiers, sailors and airmen, male and female, do not make wars.

Here’s another one for you: Three million jobs will be lost if we leave the EU. Well, Mr Cameron and Co what about the 15 million jobs that are likely to be lost over the next 10 to 20 years due to digital technology, which is destroying seven jobs for every two jobs it makes?

JOHN L CROOK

Haydon Wick, Swindon

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We must leave EU

BRITAIN’S current account deficit is $147bn for the last 12 months. This is four per cent of GDP and, as a percentage, it is the worst in the developed world.

Britain’s huge trade deficit is causing our National Debt to increase at an alarming rate.

On June 23 we need to decide if we should remain or leave the EU.

Our ballooning trade deficit shows that the EU is not working in the interest of Britain. It is only by leaving the EU that Britain can regain the power to control its trade deficit.

STEVE HALDEN

Beaufort Green, Swindon

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Mega-mosque soon?

SINCE London now has a Muslim for a mayor, Londoners can perhaps look forward to the plans for the controversial mega-mosque, once rejected, to be dusted down and reintroduced?

JEFF ADAMS

Bloomsbury Close, Swindon