An end to the EU?

There are 28 countries in the EU but only ten pay towards the out-of-control EU budget, the remaining 18 are subsidised. Germany pays the most (€14 billion), closely followed by the UK with a net contribution of e9.5bn (£8.3bn). The third-highest payment comes from France contributing

e5.5bn. The Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Denmark and Finland combined are not paying as much as the UK.

It hardly seems fair that the UK has been supporting the EU budget for years yet is now being threatened by the EU mandarins who are seeing their power crumble.

It is certain that the remaining countries will have to pay more and those receiving funds will get less.

Already proposals are on the EU table to charge countries environmental taxes, a tourist tax and revenue from the Financial Transaction Tax and even more taxes, all to be paid to the EU to shore up the EU budget, not reduce it.

Denmark has already said it will not pay more and countries dependent on the tourist industry will rebel, as will the Bundesbankers in Frankfurt and the German car manufacturers. The end is nigh?

CLARK CROSS Springfield Road, Linlithgow

Jane Ball accuses the European Parliament of employing “bullying tactics” in the current negotiations on the UK’S departure from the EU (Letters, 29 June). When a spouse demands a divorce, citing a desire for freedom, does the rejected party blithely agree and wish their estranged partner good luck for the future?

I think the EU negotiating

team been remarkably forebearing in the circumstances. In fact, they have been more generous than Theresa May. Two weeks ago they tabled a four-page proposal that all rights of EU citizens affected by Brexit would be protected for life, and the same would apply to Britons in the EU.

In contrast, Mrs May has alienated thousands of EU nationals who could lose their entitlement to be joined

by family members if they fail a financial means test. During her announcement of the proposal to guarantee the rights of EU nationals after Brexit, she failed to mention the £18,600 minimum income threshold requirement for those seeking to bring a spouse to live in Britain.

EU citizens living in the UK will also lose the protection of the European Court of Justice, since Mrs May is determined

to leave the jurisdiction of the court – even though doing so also threatens the rights of UK citizens in other EU countries. This is the ultimate rejection of Europe, and of any notion of a shared history and shared values, let alone any mutuality of interest.

The uncertainty about their future is taking a tremendous psychological toll on these unfortunate people. They can’t, and don’t, trust Theresa May to honour any verbal assurances of their right to remain. And why should they? They have already seen what she’s willing to do in order to cling on to power. CAROLYN TAYLOR

Wellbank Broughty Ferry, Dundee