THE news that Cornwall is to be granted a further seven years of EU funding is a great boost for the South West.

The county has already benefited from £900-million from the EU regional fund, but, because its GDP still remains below 75% of the average GDP of EU member states, it continues to qualify for EU aid.

UKIP will no doubt howl, as usual, that it is 'our money', conveniently forgetting it is also the money of the 26 other member states and the sobering fact that Cornwall has never been high enough a priority for our own government to have seriously invested here.

If Cornwall can now boast a university campus, superfast broadband, wave hubs and an ever improving infrastructure  it can thank the EU rather than Westminster.

Malcolm Bower

Tamar branch of the European Movement

Gunnislake