No headpine

I do not doubt for one minute Mr Johnson's patriotism and sincerity of motive. I can say this because for years I, too, pounded the pavements for the Tory Party.

For years I felt that, eventually, the grass roots instincts within the Conservative Party would prevail and force the leadership to accept that severance from the EU was the only solution to the problem. How wrong I was.

The state of constitutional castration we now find ourselves in is due primarily and in equal measure to the present insidious determination of New Labour to relinquish our sovereignty totally and in perpetuity via the coup de grace of the EU constitution.

It was the Conservative government of Edward Heath that, in 1972, took Britain into the then Common Market with the assurance (a total lie) that we were merely entering a trading bloc and that any surrender of sovereignty was unthinkable.

Subsequently, the powers of sovereignty surrendered were immense and certainly not the acts of a party putting our nation first.

Michael Howard, like William Hague and IDS before him, has declared party policy to be that, no matter what degradation, humiliation and ignominy the EU chooses to inflict upon us, at no time would he ever consider Britain's withdrawal from this corrupt monstrosity.

The establishment parties are essentially nothing more than a triumvirate of treachery. - Dave Pascoe, Press Secretary, UK Independence Party, Hartlepool Branch.

MR Wood (HAS, May 19) asks about the consequences of "voting yes or no next month to Britain's entry into Europe".

Britain became a full member of the European Union in 1973 and has enjoyed the benefits of the membership ever since in various ways.

The election coming up on June 10 concerns choosing new members of the European Parliament. It will be a postal vote and as in 1999, five years ago, the method used will be proportional representation.

As the European Union now has ten new members there will be more seats in the Parliament, 732 and not just 626. The four largest countries (to which Britain belongs) still have more seats than the rest: 72 seats each for France, Italy and the UK, 99 for Germany. They also have extra votes if a matter is to be decided through qualified majority voting.

Britain has set its red lines on taxation, social security, criminal justice, foreign policy, defence and treaties where it will not accept simple majority voting.

The power of the democratically-elected European Parliament has grown over the years and includes the power to legislate, the power of the purse and the power to supervise the executive. - E Whittaker, Richmond.

UNICEF APPEAL

I WRITE to ask for help for UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, to save lives in what has been described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis of 2004.

In the Darfur region of Western Sudan, conflict has caused the mass displacement of one million people and numbers are rising daily. A further 140,000 men, women and children have fled across the border into Chad.

Most of those displaced are living in inadequate, makeshift shelters constructed from twigs and cardboard that will not protect them in the forthcoming rainy season. The children of Darfur are especially vulnerable with increasing numbers affected by disease and malnutrition.

UNICEF teams are in Darfur, as well as Eastern Chad, and have been working since the start of this emergency. However, we need your support to reach more vulnerable children and women with vital lifesaving assistance.

UNICEF UK's Children of Sudan Emergency Appeal needs to raise £20m in support of our work in the region until December 2004.

Funds raised will be used to provide vital shelter, clean water and deliver basic emergency assistance needed to save thousands of children's lives. We need to raise £1.1m for a measles vaccination campaign that will vaccinate 2.6 million children by the end of June. Just £60 will provide an emergency health kit, sufficient to meet the medical needs of 260 children for up to six months: that is just 23p per child.

Please help the children of Darfur now. To make a donation you can send a cheque to: Children of Sudan Emergency Appeal, UNICEF, PO Box 1800, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S6 4UG. - Louis Coles, Regional Fundraising Manager (North-East), UNICEF.

ROMAN EMPIRE

THE years since the First World War have seen the return of Roman civilisation in the shape of water closets, central heating, public baths, sports stadia and metalled roads. Nor is this process confined to big things.

It's apparent in the smaller details as well. Policemen, for instance, when dressed in riot gear, bear an uncanny resemblance to Roman soldiers.

Shops in those days had no windows, which meant that, after hours, there were no goods on show. Thanks to metal shutters, this is the case today.

Some sportsmen, like cricketers, wear headgear very similar to that worn by gladiators.

Nor was gladitorial combat confined to men. Women partook also and is the reason why women today wrestle and box.

So my advice to voters on June 10 is say no to the image of the Beast, Europe and the Roman Empire. - J Conlon, Crook.

PENSIONS

IF I needed to open another account at a bank or building society I would expect the process to take about half an hour of my time.

To open the Post Office Individual Account to hold ready money from the direct payment of State Pensions and Benefits is a step-by-step postal process of checks leading up to the provision of a Pin number.

In my case, one personal number plus my carer number when I act for my wife who cannot get to the post office. My wife also has her own personal number. Entry of correct numbers finally sets up the account ready for use. This process for us took three weeks.

I had used the telephone just once to confirm correct procedure with the post office; my National Insurance number was the key to prompt and correct attention. I was then told the NI number for my wife was not recognised by their computer (I do not believe this). Her application had to be processed by the Pensions Office. There was normal progress after this double check.

After this experience I now believe the computerising for direct payment of pensions and benefits has presented a wonderful opportunity to various state departments who need to separate the sheep from the goats.

I am just a Capricorn wondering if the savings made by this change will ever exceed the cost of the process. - Thomas Cockeram, Leeds.