TALK about the pot calling the kettle black. I was amazed to read a UKIP spokesman criticise Conservative policies on Europe (Letters December 9), when his own Members of the European Parliament regularly demonstrate massive inefficiency and incompetence there. Already in this session of the parliament, two of their members have been forced to leave the party. It was the same in the last session when their leader spoke in favour of giving the parliament stronger powers ? and was kicked out for his pains. UKIP MEPs promised to oppose new EU directives, but often voted for them. They topped the league with their poor voting record on environmental issues. Six times when the EU budget was debated and voted on UKIP MEPs absented themselves while Conservative MEPs consistently fought for cost-effective and fraud-free budgets. UKIP lined up with Labour and the Liberal Democrats in voting to remove the British opt-out from parts of the notorious EU Working Time Directive. Yet this directive is one of the biggest burdens on business to come from Europe. A Conservative Government insisted on Britain?s complete opt-out from the whole ?Social Chapter? in 1992. Our country thus took a giant step towards keeping burdensome EU directives off the statute book. New Labour surrendered the opt-out on taking office, and now we see UKIP siding with them in bringing yet more regulation and nanny-controls from the EU to the UK. Let us put our trust in Conservative MEPs who are in positions of influence in the European Parliament and represent the only party fighting to tackle this awesome bureaucracy and to protect our national interest there. Dick Eberlie 6 Vigo Mews Parkwood Road Tavistock I AM getting increasingly concerned at the shrillness of UKIP missives in the press. Matthew Jackson (Letters, December 9), criticises Geoffrey Cox, Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for West Devon and Torridge, and the Conservatives for failing to be clear and honest about their policy toward the EU. This is the traditional and increasingly tedious UKIP refrain. Anyone who is not with them and anyone who supports a concerted effort, mandated by the British electorate, to renegotiate the relationship with the EU is ?dishonest?. Those pausing to reflect will recognise why UKIP must always attack the integrity and honesty of others in this way. If the Conservative commitment is fulfilled and substantial renegotiation takes place, there will be little, if any, room for UKIP. Furthermore, UKIP is itself not clear about the mechanics of withdrawal. Just as with the Tory policy, it would require complex negotiation to extricate ourselves from the EU altogether and to achieve the favourable trading agreement Britain would need. Does anyone think those negotiations would always go Britain?s way without the need for compromise? And who does he think would lead the negotiations from the galaxy of talent ? mostly discredited Conservative rejects ? assembled by his party? How on earth could anyone in their right mind, after witnessing the past few months of bitter in-fighting and hatred-filled self-mutilation, trust UKIP to run a whelk stall, let alone subtle negotiations to turn the destiny of our country? Geoffrey Cox has set out unequivocally where the Conservatives stand on the most important current issue of all, the EU constitution. They oppose any such constitution. If that is defeated, Roger Knapmann, the UKIP leader, has said that it will provoke a major re-examination of Britain?s involvement with the EU. That is why, like it or not, there is no choice for those of us who wish to see our country survive but to vote Conservative at the coming election. Chris Park Westlake Farmhouse Lifton
