COUNCILLOR David Harrison must really stop peddling the old chestnut that the European Union has ensured peace in Europe (“Why we need EU,”

Letters, November 21).

The threat of a renewal of Franco-German military rivalry effectively came to an end with the formation of the European Coal & Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951, six years before the signing of the Treaty of Rome which brought the European Economic Union into existence.

The major players in the ECSC, France and Western Germany, had their own reasons for creating the Community. Faced with the threat of the Soviet Bloc, Germany was anxious to integrate with Western Europe while France’s motivation was to deprive Germany of the means of a unilateral unification of Germany by military means.

Admittedly, the ECSC led directly to the formation of the EEC in 1957, but the threat of another Franco- German war was at an end by then.

Mr P J House is right, the other great threat to peace in Europe, Soviet Union expansionism, was prevented by NATO backed, as it was, by American arms.

I suggest Cllr Harrison seeks some more up-to-date propaganda from Liberal Central Office because what they are feeding him now is, frankly, embarrassing.

MR D R M Holley, Southampton.