No say on spending of money

Throughout 2006 we have been regaled with reports of the decline in the quality of our public services, the NHS, education, policing, prison service, post office counters and the Royal Mail.

There have been reports that our railway system is rubbish and expensive, reports that our roads are nearing gridlock - and all are due to a lack of money, it seems.

It is time that the British public was made aware of the Government's priorities when allocating the many billions they collect from us every year.

Top priority, without doubt, is the government itself: generous salaries, gold-plated and guaranteed pensions and a myriad of allowances.

Next, priority wise, is the European Union. The Government, with the full consent of the Tories and Lib Dems, has committed us to a lifetime of subsidising 75 per cent of the 27 member countries of the European Union.

As you read, our money is building roads, bridges, hospital and schools all over Europe.

French farmers, Spanish fishermen and Italian wine growers are being subsidised by us to a level that we are unable to reach in this country.

Gerard Batten, MEP for London, issued a summary last August of the direct and indirect costs of Britain's membership.

In 2006 we handed over £50.6bn, in 2007 that will increase to £52.4bn. It will never go down, and we have no say on how it is spent.

Economic Union is the last thing this organisation should be called - if you bought a car that only went backwards and cost you £500 a day in petrol, would you hang on to it?

Bob Wydell, Oswestry