Letter: Take in facts of EU membership – not myths over bent bananas

Among the many myths about the EU (remember the one about the outlawing of bent bananas?) are that it overrides our UK parliament, that it ties us up in red tape and that we pay a lot in and get nothing out.

But that's simply not the case. Our parliament remains sovereign – as do the parliaments of the other 27 members – and less than three in 100 UK laws make even passing reference to the EU.

Of course it's true that on some measures the 28 EU partners have to reach compromise, just as the members of any club, or family, have to. But in return we get free access to the biggest market in the world and many jobs and businesses here in Telford depend on it.

And our daily lives are better for the Europe-wide standards we've adopted – such as those that protect workers from exploitation and guarantee our right to parental leave, such as common action on pollution, cross-border crime, the rights we have to retire abroad, the free health care available to us in any EU country, cheaper air flights, lower mobile phone charges – and not least, after two world wars, peace in Europe for the last 70 years.

The costs? The cost of EU membership is approximately £340 a year per UK household – but the benefits amount to around £3,000 per household in jobs, investment, trade and lower prices. Bureaucracy? What's better for business and consumers – the same rules across the EU or different ones for each of the 28 member states?

Of course it's not perfect. But we need properly to weigh the benefits of our membership against the price we pay for them.

And we also need to consider whether it's better to be a leading member of the EU or out on our own and having to develop closer relationships with countries like Russia, China and Saudi Arabia.

For all the EU's shortcomings, I know what side Britain's bread is buttered!

Bill McClements, Apley, Telford

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