GARY Arthurs, of North West in Europe (Letters, June 12) accuses euro-sceptics of pedalling myths about Europe and says "if they are to be believed there exists a conspiracy of Johnny Foreigners, hell bent on destroying a 1,000 years of history."

Yet, Tony Blair wants to sweep away 1,400 years of constitutional history, with the abolition of the Lord Chancellor and the creation of a Supreme Court, no doubt followed by acceptance of the European Constitution.

This will have huge implications because the constitution will give the European Union 'shared competence' over home affairs, transport, energy, social policy, economic and social Cohesion Consumer Protection and the Environment, meaning overall, more legislation, and guidance, binding on local government, will be decided at European, rather than at national level.

The European Convention was supposed to be about simplifying the European Union and bringing it closer to its people. Instead, we now see that its proposals do the opposite; more institutions, more grand posts and little more democratic accountability. Meanwhile, Iraq has shown that a unified European foreign policy is not realistic.

The convention has not pursued a flexible Europe that concentrated on building prosperity that people want. But given what we have, it is vital that the British people should be the ones to decide in a referendum.

It is extraordinary that Labour, which has held 34 different referendums since 1997 and have pledged one on the euro, should not be open to a referendum on European political union.

Councillor J H HIRST, Beardwood with Lammack Ward, Blackburn with Darwen Council.