HOWARD Carey writes that a hypothetical UKIP government would have the right to take Britain out of the EU because it had been elected by the British people. Well, let me tell him it would not! No British government whatever their majority in Parliament has had 50 per cent of the vote since 1935 and I can’t see any party ever getting more that 50 per cent in the future. In the meantime the Wilson government held a referendum on membership of the Common Market and the people of Britain voted in favour. I know the EU is a different beast from the Common Market, but he now tells us the UKIP would take us out without a referendum. To borrow his phrase, democratic? I think not.

He goes on to tell us they hold the opposite view when it comes to Ireland and that Ireland should never hold another referendum on the issue of the Lisbon Treaty whatever changes are made or assurances given. Can the UKIP explain this dichotomy of views because otherwise are the UKIP democratic? I think not.

He says the EU isn’t democratic. Well, it has flaws. The commission is appointed by the governments of the member states, but has no powers to make laws, only to propose them to the council of ministers. The council of ministers is made up of ministers from member countries who are elected more or less democratically according to the laws of their own countries. The European Parliament is directly elected by the people of Europe and is the EU’s most democratic organ. Is this more democratic than the UK, which has a democratic House of Commons but an unelected head of state and upper house. I feel that it is just about similar? So EU democratic? I think, could do better!

The process of betterment has already started though, has not that Arch European Peter Mandelson said that representative democracy is not enough and it should be enhanced by referenda, focus groups, citizen movements and the internet. This is from the most powerful man in the country after (or perhaps before), the Prime Minister.

STEVE THOMPSON Norman Road Swindon