I commend the letter sent in by John Kelly (January 15), in which he sets out so accurately the way our country has been sold out to the European Union by successive Tory and Labour Governments that had no popular mandate from the voters.

I commend the letter sent in by John Kelly (January 15), in which he sets out so accurately the way our country has been sold out to the European Union by successive Tory and Labour Governments that had no popular mandate from the voters. Indeed, no mandate was sought in their election manifestos.

Since the EU Committee of the Regions set up Regional Assemblies in our country and other EU Member States, many years ago, John Kelly and numerous members/supporters of UKIP protested outside and inside Devon County Hall. They were joined by my wife, myself and many members/supporters of CIB (The Campaign for an Independent Britain).

Demonstrators carried posters highly critical of the EU set-up and passing traffic sounded their horns continuously when observing the advice "Toot your horn if you want to keep the pound" or "Sound your horn if you want one United Kingdom and not 12 EU Regions"! On occasions staff were sent out from the council offices to complain that the noisy horns made it difficult to hear inside their offices.

In 1992, I stood in the then Honiton Constituency as an Independent Conservative/Anti Federal Europe candidate and almost saved my deposit by polling 2,175 votes. That was more than any other independent or Green Party candidate in the whole of the UK. Since then, Euro scepticism (or Euro realism) has made very serious gains and an incoming Conservative Government - in a few weeks time, MUST hold to its recently promised statement that each and every new EU Treaty will be put to a referendum. I feel that I have to believe that - both David Cameron and William Hague have pledged that to very many critics of the EU.

In conclusion, although UKIP does especially well at elections to the European Parliament, beating Labour and the Lib Dems a few months ago, it has not won a single seat at Westminster, in three consecutive elections in 1997, 2001, 2005 and its solitary member in the House of Commons defected from the Tory Party and he will lose his seat, at Castle Point, in Essex, in a few weeks' time.

UKIP, in spite of what it says, is regarded as a single issue party and a wasted vote once the chips are down!

David Owen,

17 Blair Atholl,

20 Douglas Avenue,

Exmouth.