Europe not great

Alex Orr’s article (Scotsman 200, 7 March) confirming that “The EU is Not Perfect” did not address just how ludicrously imperfect is this institution, and his comments either represented a misunderstanding of recent history, or a rose- tinted misinterpretation of the facts.

Immediately after the Second World War, western Europe benefitted enormously from US largesse in the shape of the Marshall Plan, which provided billions to rebuild Europe’s war-ravaged countries. The aim of this injection of funds was to help modernise Europe’s industries, remove trade barriers and help make Europe more prosperous. The Marshall Plan was probably the key element for kick-starting European integration, and without it the European Coal and Steel Agreement would probably not have happened.

To suggest the EU can claim the credit for preventing war and conflict in Europe is a myth, European Commission propaganda. We need only look to 1990s and the war in the former Yugoslavia. Both the EU and UN failed in their understanding of, and attempts to resolve, this war, resulting in a major failure of the EU’S attempt to shape European foreign policy. It is Nato, not the EU, which has kept the peace in modernday Europe. And it was Nato intervention that finally led to a resolution of the Balkan war in 1995.

On another note, a Holiday Pay Act was introduced in the UK in 1938. The Labour Party’s Employment Relations Act of 1999 introduced maternity benefits and in 2001 paternity leave was included. There is no doubt that the EU has helped standardise and improve these various agreements, but it would be wrong to suggest that without the EU we would not enjoy these benefits.

I for one will not miss this undemocratic, unaccountable and profligate institution, the sooner we are out the better!

JOHN MAGUIRE Springwood Bank. Kelso

Budget, but what about the ordinary Scottish domestic ratepayer? The failure of the Scottish Government to undertake a property revaluation is causing great injustice.

Presently the 1991 valuation used by assessors to establish rateable bands creates huge anomalies. properties built since 1991 are penalised when compared to older properties, such as those in Edinburgh New Town, which sell for huge premium sand realise much higher sale prices than new properties. Newer threebedroom flats on the outskirts of town now get G ratings as though they are 60 bed mansion houses.

This situation is exacerbated by the Scottish Government’s recent unilateral decision to slam an additional percentage tax on all domestic properties for rateable bands E and above, hitting many families living in relatively modest two bedroom flats.

The squeaking pips of the squeezed middle are now screeching like banshees as the May local elections approach and the disconnect in the management of taxation and funding of local government grows ever worse. Why has it been allowed to come to this? Who can we hold responsible for this iniquity, if not the Scottish Government? ELIZABETH MARSHALL Western Harbour Midway

Edinburgh