WHEN visiting a club or pub it is impossible to avoid the political banter that always finds its way into any conversation, especially after a few beers.

It makes one laugh to hear the bar-room politicians, after spouting off about what the Government should and should not do, turn to their favourite topic, a referendum on European issues.

They don’t realise that a public referendum would mean that the future of Britain would depend on people who don’t understand the first thing about the real issues of a “European Market”.

Harsh, but true, and I confess to being one of them.

I think such decisions should be left to the people who fully understand the setbacks or benefits of such a treaty, the industrialists and businessmen of this country who are watching our own industries closing down or being transferred abroad.

In the past, Britain could rely on its exports, such as coal, steel and shipbuilding, but those halcyon days when we could dictate to the world market are no more; the boot is on the other foot and we are being left behind.

A country cannot survive on history alone and if we stay locked in the past we are going to be left in no-man’s-land.

Tom Seale, Middlesbrough.