LETTER : Goldsmith's private party

From Mr Gerald Roberts

Sir: The Referendum Party is asking us (full-page advertisement, 25 October) to vote for a referendum the fairness of whose terms we cannot judge until after we have voted in a general election.

It says that "a group of respected citizens" from both sides of the European debate will draft the terms. Unless their respectability resides in their prior approval of terms acceptable to Sir James Goldsmith, who will presumably select them, what guarantee is there that they will be able even to agree on what is fair? Or that we shall be able to accept their judgement if they can agree?

We are being offered a pig in a poke.

Yours faithfully,

Gerald Roberts

National Committee

UK Independence Party

London, W6

25 October