European control

Alex Orr makes a big deal of the fact that thee uh as an electorate of 373 million voters and a Parliament of 720 MEPS (June 8). But he makes no reference to the Commission nor to Ursula von d er le yen, its president, which is ridiculous, given the fact that the Commission is the real decision makerin theeu while the parliament, which should be in control, is nothing but an incredibly expensive talking-shop. Alex Orr thinks the EU is a bastion of democracy, but there is no way that the ordinary citizen there can vote Ursula von der Leyen out of office. If the Parliament was a real Parliament, the ordinary citizen would have a vote which would determine who makes the decisions, but that is not the case - which probably explains the low turn-out foreu elections.

By contrast, here in the UK we are on our way to a general election. We, the voters of the UK, will decide whether to stick with the Government we have got or to install a new Government. Every single vote counts. That is democracy in action and we, the people, will make that choice. Which probably explains the high turn-out for UK elections.

A sf orb rex it, it is only the petty vindictiveness of theeuwhic his preventing normal trading relations between us and the bloc. Alex Orr should reflect on the fact that the queues of lorries were all on our side, trying to get into the EU, not on their side, trying to get into theuk.theuk is open to trade freely, butt heeu is a cartel jealously guarding its own interests at the expense of its neighbours. It is not the UK which needs to put its house in order -- it is the EU.

Les Reid Edinburgh