IT comes as no surprise that a North West Euro MP has failed to answer a question about the European Commission's accounts (LT, January 9).

The auditors have not approved the accounts for 13 years but my MEP colleagues in the Lib-Dem, Tory and Labour parties prefer not to notice.

Unfortunately, they are all in favour of Britain's involvement in the European Union and speaking out about the EU's dodgy accounts would not help its image.

If the European Union were a UK business, its directors would be in prison by now.

But he whole structure of the EU invites corruption - with decisions made behind closed doors, thousands of bank accounts with no proper controls and democracy viewed as an obstruction.

JOHN WHITTAKER, North West MEP for UK Independence Party.