THE furore over the single European currency has created all manner of mayhem at Westminster, with politicians of all colours in a tizz over whether we should or should not join a monetary union.

The general consensus of opinion seems to be, from what I can make out, that it will be little short of a disaster, given the huge gulf in the financial viability of several of the member states.

This matters little to the thousands of poor souls in the UK struggling to make ends meet on benefits and with little or no prospect of ever improving their miserable lot, unless they happen to win the Lottery.

If you are skint, the difference between pounds sterling and Euro dollars is immaterial. Not having enough of either means only one thing; you struggle.

Getting people back to work should be the priority. Then we'll argue about what currency we are going to pay them with.

The vast majority of people in the UK, especially those with memories long enough to remember 1939-45 and, possibily, 1914-18, have little love for Europe and its inhabitants.

They may fall short of outright xeonophobia but suspicion and mistrust are two words which spring immediately to mind.

The current show of truculence by maverick French truckers has hardly improved the climate of tolerance on this side of the Channel.

Personally I would shut the tunnel, institute a no-fly zone into the UK and mine the sea approaches to this island.

We never needed Europe in the past. They don't particularly like the Brits, except as tourists, So why are we squandering our sovereign rights? And whatever happened to the Commonwealth? Answers on a postcard to . . .

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