Free trade, yes, but who voted for federalism?
I AM 72 and voted to remain in the European Economic Community (EEC) in the 1975 referendum. At the time, I was 30 and the director of a small manufacturing company in Daventry. We desperately wanted to get involved with the European export market.
To do so, if I wanted to jump into my car and drive around Europe demonstrating my wares, I had to apply for a carnet (an export/ import document) which allowed me into European countries on a temporary basis without having to pay any import duties on the goods within my car.
At every customs point along the way, I had to join a long queue to get my entry into the next country logged and my carnet suitably endorsed. In simple English, this was torment.
If one succeeded in getting an order, more endless documentation ensued. By the time one finally got paid, one wondered if it had been worth the effort.
Along came the EEC. Brilliant: no more customs and a free trade zone — exactly what we wanted. Nothing more, nothing less.
Subsequently, various politicians/ governments involved us in the wretched currency ‘ snake’ ( in which most EEC countries linked their currencies — the precursor to the euro), which nearly broke us when interest rates went ballistic.
We left it and retained the pound, so at least we could revalue and devalue as required.
Now, the euro has managed to bankrupt the Greeks, with other Southern European countries nearing the brink.
One day people will realise that a federal Europe is a nonsense. Greeks will always be Greek, Italians will always be Italian, and hopefully Brits will always be Brits. The Eurozone depends on all countries adopting a common structured way of life with common economic practices and work ethics.
I, with many fellow Brits, voted last year to come out of the EU. I, with many fellow Brits, do not want to come out of the EEC. We voted to be in it. It’s the ‘U’ bit we object to and all the governing ambitions of a federal Europe.
Most of today’s politicians didn’t go through the Seventies, with the devaluation of the pound, miners’ strikes, oil embargo and a threeday working week.
After the carefree Sixties, my age group came down to earth with an almighty thump and had to do a lot of growing up awfully quickly.
The EEC was about the only good thing going to help the recovery process. Then our politicians got us into the EU. Back downhill again. Michael Johnson, Welford, northampton.
Jemima’s miracle
After reading Tessa Cunningham’s article (Mail) about the selflessness of Jemima Layzell, 13, and her wonderful parents, who carried out her dying wishes for her body to be used to give the gift of life or sight to 11 others, I wondered if it made readers join the organ donor register.
Our beloved grandson was given a new lease of life after receiving Jemima’s lungs.
We are so grateful and light a candle every year in her memory. Jemima will never be forgotten. I consider these transplants a modern-day miracle. ‘Have a life, give a life.’ Phyllis and Ted Smith, coventry.
Not clever!
HOW many more ridiculously lenient sentences for serious offences will our increasingly stupid judiciary hand down simply because they perceive the felon to be intelligent?
If sentences such as that handed to student Lavinia Woodward (who stabbed her boyfriend but was told by the judge she was ‘too bright’ for jail) are allowed to continue, not only would perpetrators no longer fear going to court, but victims would be increasingly encouraged to seek their own justice.
Leniency is fine when it is warranted by a lack of capacity, but not by an abundance of — socalled — intelligence.
Don Broad, Dartford, Kent.
Let’s follow Florida
Three weeks ago, I was staying in a villa in Naples Beach, florida, and it was interesting that the general rubbish bins were emptied twice a week and the recycling bins once every week. residents were also asked to place the bins 2in from the kerbside because the refuse lorry is operated by one man, and the bins are taken off the kerb and emptied using a hydraulic arm.
The whole operation was quick and efficient, and it makes me wish our local authorities could take a look at what Naples City is doing.
David Ball, Marlow, Bucks.
A fine lesson
ALL the recent media coverage of cyclists riding on the payment jogged my memory.
In Liverpool, in 1960, I was fined six shillings for riding on the pavement. My parents were also informed. I didn’t do it again
Mike Jones, south Witham, lincs.
Monsters-in-law
I understand Terri Apter’s ( femail) and Lee Janogly’s ( Letters) differing views on meddling mothers-in-law.
Mine was a wonderful grandma, but I always felt, as her daughterin-law, that I was not good enough for her son and pretty hopeless as a mother.
Maybe it was not what she said but the way she said it.
‘Is that ironing you haven’t done? I always did it as soon as I bought it in from the line’; ‘is he still in nappies, dear? Their dad was dry at six months’; ‘ you’d better get home, as a man likes his meal on the table when he gets back.’
I tried so hard to live up to her exacting standards, but always felt I failed. Unfortunately, my marriage broke up, after which many people complimented me on the way I organised my home and children. It was only then I realised I wasn’t so bad after all!
Pam Bright, shoreham, W. sussex. I write for all those mothers-inlaw who wish to say: ‘I love my daughter-in-law just as much now as I did at the beginning, and thank her for accepting coupons, ironing and any other forms of “help” along the way.’
My hope for Terri Apter is that she gets two daughters-in-law like herself. elsie Barlow, heald green, cheshire.
A quizmaster gent
Your article (Mail) painted a rather stern picture of quiz show host William G. Stewart. I found him somewhat different, in the Nineties, when I travelled to sunny Wandsworth to appear on a couple of 15 To 1 shows.
William may have had a serious on- camera persona, no doubt helped by an ex- service background, but I found him kind and helpful off- camera, with a special knack of putting you at ease. He was a real gentleman. Andrew Jones, Farnham, surrey.