HEADLINE: Risks of federalism

THE future relationship of this country with the European Union is the most important decision of our day. The question one must ask is "Do you really want to be a 'Canton' of a Federal State of Europe?"

With the General Election looming, it is surely the duty of every Briton to be doing their best to discover and understand the issues involved. This election is not about voting for your local MP, just because he's a very very nice man (or woman). Everyone needs to find out whether their vote will be, in effect, a vote for handing British power to unelected Brussels bureaucrats!

There is an interesting website (http:/www.candidlist.demon.co.uk) for those searching for a broader picture. It has been developed by an independent academic, Dr Sean Gabb, who seeks to classify the views on the European Union of all sitting MPs and candidates at the next General Election.

Our sitting MP, John Burnett, made some vague reservations about European Monetary Union, but failed to justify any other description than that of a Europhile. Thus, a vote for him is a vote, perversely enough, for Britain to be ruled by unelected Eurocrats.

If you want to prevent that, whatever your political persuasion, you need to vote for a Eurosceptic. The Conservative prospective candidate, Geoffrey Cox, is listed as a Eurosceptic.

Susan Collins
Bideford