Dear Dr Gabb

Just a brief note to fully endorse William Hague and the Conservative Party's policies of "In Europe but not run by Europe" and the ruling out of Britain joining the Euro in the lifetime of the next Government.

I am a Eurosceptic and am a member of Business for Sterling.  However I am not anti Europe but believe that it should be focused on trade, prosperity and co-operation rather than a headlong drive to political union. The whole issue of the Euro has profound political and constitutional implications and is not simply a case of just being an economic decision.  Britain is a world and not just a European trading nation.  The currency for world trade is the US Dollar and not the Euro or any of its component currencies.  The Euro was designed as a Franco-German inspired political fix and the immense problems which it has suffered since its launch do not inspire confidence. 

A final note on the comments made by a small number of politicians and business leaders who have blamed the strength of the Pound for their own economic woes.  What has hit British business since 1997 has been the significant hikes in taxation and regulation which have severely jeopardised Britain's former advantage of being one of the best places to do business in the world.  The weakness against the US Dollar has also had adverse effects.  The Conservative Party policies of attacking the Labour regulatory nightmare and reducing taxation whilst keeping the Pound will once again make Britain a world class centre for enterprise and prosperity.

Kind regards

Peter Booth

Dear Mr Booth, 

Many thanks for your e-mail of yesterday.

I shall be happy to reclassify you as a sceptic. However, I need to know that we are agreed on terms. Simply accepting Mr Hague's formula of "in but not ruled by" justifies a don't know calssification. A sceptic classification requires a positive answer to the following questions:

1) If elected or re-elected to Parliament, would you oppose our joining the Eurozone even if joining were to be recommended by the Party leadership?

2) If elected or re-elected to Parliament and required to choose between accepting the supremacy of European Union law in this country and leaving the European Union, would you vote for British withdrawal?

Yours sincerely,

Dr Sean Gabb
Candidlist Webmaster

Dear Dr Gabb

Thank you for your reply.  I have to disagree that simply accepting Mr Hague's formula of "in but not ruled by" justifies a don't know classification.  I am not anti European but I am a Eurosceptic as I made very clear in my original reply.  I am very opposed to both the slavishly
European federalist approach of the Liberal Democrats and the pro Euro, pro European and pro expensive, interfering, bureaucratic, high taxation and dictatorial approach of Labour.

I am grateful for your decision to classify me as a Eurosceptic and will look with interest at the further replies you receive, especially from sitting Labour MP's.

Yours sincerely

Peter Booth

Dear Mr Booth,

Many thanks for your letter of last 20th September. I regret that we cannot agree on our definition of sceptic, and that within the meanings that I adopt, you must remain classified as a don't know.

I hope that you will be able to reconsider and to clarify your opinions on Europe in the months leading to the next general election.

Yours sincerely,

Sean Gabb
Candidlist Webmaster