EU burden

He ignores the well-documented waste, the ever-escalating EC budgets far in excess of inflation, the eye-watering salaries, the unsustainable staffing levels, the gold-plated pensions and the sausage machines churning out directives and regulations which add to business costs.

As I said in my earlier letter, the EC accounts have never been agreed by auditors, who were scathing in their condemnation. The directors of any company in this position would be debarred from holding office.

Regular meetings held at Strasbourg cost well over £50 million every year.

The EU Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, at only 58, will this week get a pension of more than £100,000 a year plus a £20,000 lump sum plus a transitional allowance of between £290,000 and £473,000 over three years.

Britain should immediately suspend all regular contributions to this organisation and set up an in/out referendum before next year’s elections.

Clark Cross

Springfield Road

Linlithgow

Are those now praising David Cameron for snubbing an EU bill adjustment demand of £1.7 billion the same people who denounced Alex  Salmond for saying before the Scottish referendum that an independent Scotland would refuse debt share demands if  it was denied pound sterling currency union?

If so, they have very short memories, not to mention double-think problems.

Mind you, as the devo powers wrangle has shown in the weeks following the referendum, short memories are pretty standard for Westminster politicians.

Ian Johnstone

Forman Drive

Peterhead