Taking a stronger stance from within the EU is preferable to Brexit
SIR – Advocates of Brexit have a clear case, but it tends to suffer by analysing our present relations with the EU, without a consideration of how these might develop.
The Out campaign also oversimplifies its argument by comparing Britain’s position with that of Norway (population five million) and Switzerland (population eight million). This is not sensible. As a major global trading power, Britain (population 64.1 million) needs close involvement in EU trade and industrial policy.
The failures of the EU (to manage the euro, control immigration, constrain special interests such as agriculture and control its own budget) show that it is a profoundly weak organisation. A much more assertive British stance – refusing to accept policies and actions which we know are wrong, and a rigorous insistence on those we know are right – should bring about a reorientation towards our interests much sooner than Brexit would.
Anthony Pick
Newbury, Berkshire SIR – Over the past two years David Cameron has pontificated about “fundamental” reform of Britain’s relationship with the EU. However, the demands that he submitted were the most uninspiring, unambitious and insignificant imaginable.
On cue, the EU loudly dismissed some of the demands as impossible. Following a night’s hard negotiation, Mr Cameron emerged with a tough but achievable pathway. He will now declare victory and campaign, as he always intended, for Britain to remain a subservient member of a financially, morally and democratically bankrupt federal supra-state.
Jeremy Tozer
Stoke Row, Oxfordshire SIR – It is widely assumed that Mr Cameron will have to resign as Prime Minister if the referendum results in Brexit. If the vote is for staying in, will those ministers who campaigned to leave have to resign?
Jonathan Haslam
Beckenham, Kent SIR – You report (telegraph.co.uk, January 1) that polling companies got the 2015 election wrong by “ignoring the views of pensioners”. This is interesting in relation to the forthcoming EU referendum.
Those of us who voted to stay in the EEC in the Seventies are the most likely to be disillusioned by subsequent developments from economic to political union. Many of us are now pensioners.
I predict that David Cameron will get an unwelcome surprise when the EU referendum results come in. I, for one, certainly do not believe the mood of the country is as narrowly divided as the current polling implies.
Jeremy M J Havard
London SW3 SIR – I have been carrying out my own straw poll. To date, out of about 200 people questioned, only three wanted to stay in the EU. Where do the pollsters get their 50/50 split from?
LHA Davies
Bewdley, Worcestershire