AN ANTI-European party member (Citizen13 May) blames the EU for a bottle containing a note, thrown from a ship 80 miles south of Ireland, being found on Southport beach.

That is laughable, surely he should blame the person who threw the bottle not the European Union he must believe the old adage 'Throw enough dirt against a wall and some of it is bound to stick'.

All the various anti European factions all have one thing in common. That is their negativity about Europe. Yet the reason Britain joined the European Community 30 years ago under a Conservative Government was because this country was being left behind by the original five EC member countries.

The standard of living enjoyed by their citizens had become higher than ours and the gap was widening every year. Their exports were booming and their GDP made Britain's look pathetic. Britain was referred to as 'The Poor Man of Europe' and it was true. The E.C. is a huge trading block. Britain sells more goods to Germany than to the USA more to France than the whole Commonwealth.

Three million jobs rely on our trade with Europe. The recent enlargement of the EU is expected to create 300,000 new jobs across Western Europe and it is predicted the UK will benefit by a boost in our GDP of £1.75million. After two devastating world wars in the 20th century the continent is now successfully working together.

The various anti-European groups were convinced the Euro would fail. How wrong they were, readers will have noticed they never mention the subject now. There have been an abundance of good policies emanating from the EC. The Social Chapter the positive co-operation that has developed to fight problems such as international crime, terrorism and asylum, none of which would stop at any border. The anti European groups claim that were we not members of the EU Britain would be in a strong position to trade. Yet the truth is priority would be trade between member states. Their idea is absurd and would lead to a slow, steady decline in our standard of living.

Jack Croysdill, Press officer, Blackpool North and Fleetwood Labour Party