CORRESPONDENT J. Holden (Your Letters, June 12) suggests that this country needs more European government rules and regulations, this due to Britain's 25 years of financial contributions.

This is blatant nonsense! We in Britain over the last 25 years have been well and truly fleeced by Europe and by the politicians of the party colours who let it happen. The recent general election brought about no change in government or policy. By a mixture of spin doctoring, blind prejudice, apathy and universal disgust, our great nation is sleep walking to a disaster.

Will it only be the power of prayer that gives us hope of reprieve from the reality of this fast approaching nightmare. We must remember what Hitler tried to achieve in Germany between 1936 and 1945. History is now repeating itself but in a different way, economically and also by bombarding us with ridiculous, time-consuming and expensive rules, regulations and procedures, driving us down with threats of prosecution for non-compliance, and mountains of unnecessary paperwork. In 1939, along with millions of fellow countrymen, my dear late father help to defend our country and helped others to defend theirs. I often wonder what he would be saying today. Millions of men and women made the ultimate sacrifice so that we have the freedom we now enjoy.

Unless we remove ourselves from the yoke of European control we will have to bow down to the same powers we fought against years ago. At present they are winning hands down. We seem to have ours up in surrender!

The turnout in the recent general election was shameful; perhaps the "silent majority" remained silent.

Newly-released government documents show the true extent of entry into the Common Market and an apology is now due to the so-called "xenophobic little Englanders" who have fought for so long to expose the truth of our membership. These revelations should now pave the way for a full public debate and, at the very least, a referendum on our continued membership of the European Union.

Such a calculated deception should not be allowed to go unchallenged; it must be obvious that, had the country been told the truth at the time, massive opposition would have prevented us joining, let alone considering to vote on remaining a member.

The silent majority have yet to be heard. You can't fool all of the people all of the time. A day of reckoning will soon approach.

MRS JEAN ALLISON,

Ramsbottom.