THE letter from Councillor Harrison (November 29) claims there are benefits from the EU. He then says that £10m is to be spent on the New Forest, but omits to say that it is our own money returned from Brussels from the £50m per day that we send just to belong to the “club” – money we could use on our own country to save jobs and to stop cutting services.

He then refers to “50 years peace” in Europe – what planet does he inhabit? There have been UK troops stationed in Germany since the war (now returning) and NATO has been the prime source of peace, including the USSR.

Another point worth mentioning - Germany has not wasted money on fighting wars. They have been building their economy, while we have been exporting our jobs to Europe – such as railway coaches, car industry, armaments and troop transport, etc. Now Brussels is set on bringing in an EU direct tax on our people, to be called a Euro-Tax. How much more can we stand!

The Government’s Blue Book (trade figures) states:- 1. Over 80 per cent of all UK trade is within our own borders, yet we are exposed to EU regulations and controls to do so.

2. Half of the rest is to the EU, yet we actually import more from the EU than we sell to them, There is a permanent trade deficit with the EU.

3. The Blue Book also exposes that exports to the rest of the world is made (directed) through EU and are, therefore, classed as exports to EU.

This means exports to the rest of world is deliberately distorted downwards.

The sooner we get a proper referendum on In/Out of the EU the better. Let us have a proper say.

COUNCILLOR MIKE HOBSON (UKIP), Swanage.