THE UKIP EU Election success (2.7 million votes), overtaking the Liberal Democrats in 6 of the 11 Regions, was a resounding rejection of British membership of the EU. I would have thought that, in the light of this success, Mike Turner (letter 12 August) rather than trying to justify blind adherence to the EU, would be asking himself why Liberal Democrat EU policies are so unpopular with a large section of the electorate.

Practice is very different to Mike Turner's explanation of the Treaty transfer of powers.

a. Our politicians have never allowed us a referendum (since 1975) on the Treaties that have transferred powers wholesale.

b. Vague and loosely written Treaties allow the EU Court of Justice, under the guise of EU harmonisation, to transfer powers to the EU. An example of this 'competence creep' is the Court's interpretation of Single Market laws and regulations because almost anything can be traded across frontiers. These include for example art market levies, metrication and money laundering which have never been transferred to the EU in Treaties.

David Heathcote-Amory in 'the European Constitution' wrote:

'Many of the changes were incremental and hardly noticed. The European Court of Justice extended the scope of Community action through case law, by appealing to the overall purpose of Community law rather than its literal interpretation. The general primacy of Community law... were established in this way despite never having been spelled out.'

c. Under the principle of 'acquis communautaire', once the EU Commission has legislated on a subject these powers are the EU's 'inalienable possession'. These powers can never be returned to member states unless we leave the EU as only UKIP proposes. Contrary to election promises by the Conservatives, a power has never been, nor never will be, returned by the EU to a member state.

Things would get worse under the EU Constitution. Under Article 11 the British Parliament would only be able to legislate to the extent that the EU chooses not to. There would be a huge extension of EU powers including Social, economic and employment policy (Article 14), industry, health, education and culture (Article 16) and energy (Article 13).

Mr Turner also comments on attendance by UKIP MEPs in the EU Parliament. They are the only group of British MEPs who oppose these extensions of EU powers over our country. UKIP MEPs also tell us what is really going on in the EU, without which we would only know what the EU spin and propaganda machines want us to know.

Roy Hopwood