Letter: Voting compromise for Brussels

Sir: As a contribution to the debate taking place in Brussels, perhaps a compromise could be reached along the following lines: the blocking vote could be raised to 27, as the 10 member states (other than Britain and Spain) wish. However, the larger countries, including the UK, Germany, France and Italy, would get an extra vote each. In Britain's case, this would then rise to 11.

That would make the system slightly more equitable in terms of the population count per vote in the Council of Ministers. The blocking vote would still be near the 30 per cent it is at present, a level that the 10 are keen to maintain. It would become slightly harder for a country such as Britain to engineer a blocking vote, but slightly easier than under the regime currently being put forward by the majority of its partners in the EU. This way, both sides would get something out of the agreement.

Yours faithfully,

SIMON NAPPER

Bracknell, Berkshire