CHRIS Amos, in his letter, “Let’s hear the good things about the EU” (November 21), presents a thin gruel of supposed benefits, which seem to be limited to the free movement of people between countries.

We were always free to move freely within Western Europe, the difference is we can now work in an EU state without a work permit. Insofar as that is a benefit, it has only a limited appeal.

Overall, both politically and economically, Britain would be better off leaving the EU club and negotiating a purely trade agreement.

The direct cost of being in the EU is around £10 billion per year, a figure that is set to rise dramatically now that Tony Blair has surrendered our rebate.

As for indirect costs, Gunter Verheugen, the EU Commissioner responsible for enterprise and industry, admitted that the cost to industry of complying with EU directives was around £40 billion per year.

In considering the trading benefits touted by Europhiles, Britain has had a trading deficit with the EU in every year but two since we joined.

The EU needs our trade more than we need theirs.

Constitutionally, the United Kingdom has lost the sovereign power to govern itself in so many areas.

Eighty five per cent of our laws are now made in Brussels by people whom we have not elected.

Britain is now little more than a vassal state of the EU, heading towards the sort of dictatorship with which the Europeans are familiar, but which we have so far resisted.

For politicians and civil servants, Brussels is a lucrative gravy train that is not burdened by an inconvenient electorate who can vote them out of power.

It is hardly any wonder that Gordon Brown squirmed his way out of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

One day the British people will get the chance to express their wish on membership of the EU. I know what their answer will be.

David Lonsdale, Malaga, Spain