No respect for a Euro federation by stealth

Phil Jones correctly recalls that in February 2016 EU leaders agreed that the UK could be exempt from the process of ‘ever closer union’ (Viewpoint, July 28).

But he should also recall that their agreement was not sufficient to amend the EU’s treaties and thereby give that exemption legal force.

That would have needed a more complicated procedure, which supposedly would have been done, or attempted, some time in the future.

In 2013 the EU Parliament blocked a protocol promised to Czech President Vaclav Klaus to induce him to sign off the Lisbon Treaty.

Supposing that we had voted to stay in the EU, and EU politicians then pulled the same trick, what would David Cameron have done?

We can easily guess the answer to that question: once he had won his referendum he would have dropped his demand for treaty change.

Finally, Mr Jones describes himself as a member of the European Movement UK, the UK branch of the international organisation.

Which according to its website has ‘mobilised citizens and advocated for a democratic, federal and enlarged union since 1948’.

So perhaps he can say whether the terms of affiliation of the UK branch still reflect that long-standing eurofederal ambition?

Those who want the UK to be subordinated in a European federation, and openly and honestly argue their case, are worthy of respect.

But it is an entirely different matter with those, of any party, who have spent decades trying to achieve that objective through stealth.

Dr D R COOPER Belmont Park Avenue

Maidenhead