SIR - Congratulations to all UKIP supporters for forcing “Cast Iron Dave” to give us a referendum: in theory. Having been forced into this position by defections to UKIP, Hugo Swire states that we “don’t have to rely on UKIP either”.

I suspect that Dave has done a deal with Merkel to return a few unimportant competences which the PM will parade as a victory and negate the referendum.

The same trick was pulled by Harold Wilson in the 1970s. In the meantime we will be treated to a barrage of pro EU propaganda from the usual suspects. Their argument hasn’t changed and will concentrate on trying to frighten a gullible public:

1. 3,000,000 jobs depend on our membership of the EU. Anyone who thinks that the EU will stop trading with us is economically illiterate. They sell us more than we sell to them. Who then has the whip hand in negotiations on withdrawal?

2. The EU has kept the peace in Europe. Nonsense. That would be NATO who faced down the Communists with tanks, planes and soldiers.

3. We would lose influence in Europe. Nonsense. GB always punched above its weight before the EU. Norway and Switzerland, Both with higher standard of living, all trade with the EU without having to comply with all of the bureaucracy that our civil servants then gold plate.

The reason some big corporations support the EU is to stifle competition. Eg, food at world prices would be a lot cheaper.

Do we want to shackle ourselves to a fading sclerotic EU economy inside a customs union where we are told with whom we can trade, or free trade with the world?

Fool me once, shame on you . Fool me twice, shame on me.

UKIP is this country’s last hope.

Lawrie Brownlee

Station Road

Sidmouth