ONCE again it seems that Britain has been conned by the EU and most especially France. Readers will recall that Tony Blair, three years ago, gave up£7 billion of our EU rebate, in return for an agreement to have the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) changes and subsidies reduced to ensure an equal playing field for all farmers.

We were assured this would ultimately benefit Britain in the long term.

Now it seems that France is holding the EU to ransom, over a call for an urgent decision of world trade tariffs.

The recent meeting of G20 leaders called on the EU to come to a quick agreement on World Trade Organisation negotiations aimed at cutting farm subsidies and dismantling import barriers.

But diplomats say France, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, is using its position to hold the EU to ransom by linking protection for French farmers to the reopening of talks.

"It is a pretty transparent attempt to stitch up the CAP so France can carry on subsidising food and farms," said one diplomat. "It is alarming how much support the French have."

A classified internal French document praises the CAP as a strategic asset based on principles laid down in the Treaty of Rome over 50 years ago.

It goes on to urge that it should be continued beyond 2013, the date when a new five year EU budget period begins.

By seeking agreement on the CAP after 2013, France appears to be trying to ring-fence its lion's share of annual EU farm budgets worth £42 billion, spending that costs the average British household £322 a year.

With many farming sectors struggling in the UK and outside of the EU France has once again shown that there is no such thing as an integrated Europe, working to benefit all. If France gets its way, which no one seems to doubt, they will effectively receive all their EU contributions back in terms of the CAP, and still benefit from EU grants.

If we simply cannot trust our European partners to stick to what is agreed, there really is no reason to remain in the EU. We are suffering while the likes of France are exploiting this very corrupt EU machine.

ROBERT FEAL-MARTINEZ Chairman and PPC Swindon UKIP South Marston