Letter: Euro 'sceptics' come clean

Sir: Norman Lamont has let the Euro-sceptic cat out of the bag ('Tories reopen European wound', 12 October). Hitherto, they have been hiding behind the pretence of wanting a Europe consisting solely of a free market and run entirely by national governments. Of course, such a Europe could not possibly work - a free market will not function without strict rules to stop cheating and an impartial authority to enforce those rules.

But neither does their real policy of total withdrawal make any kind of sense. Britain outside the European Union would be unable to exert any influence over policies to which we would in any case have to conform if we wished to go on trading freely with the huge single European market; and a Britian that felt unable to fulfil the conditions of membership of an organisation to which we had belonged for 25 years would not be regarded as a serious player on the world scene or a reliable partner for any other nation or organisation.

Yours faithfully,

ANTHONY MEYER

Policy Director

European Movement

London, SW1

12 October