I FEEL justified at my opposition to joining the European Union, my fear at the time being that we may lose the rights to rule ourselves.

I read Britain is being “hurt” by laws from the EU. A national newspaper said more than half of criminal legislation created in the UK was produced or influenced by the EU, meaning Brussels had a hand in 59 per cent of British laws.

Matthew Elliot, chief executive of Business for Britain, said red tape from Brussels is hurting business competitiveness and damaging jobs, adding that absurd new rules were passed just to keep the bureaucrats their jobs. He added that Brussels is a law-making machine and businesses are struggling to cope.

Tory MP Sir Bill Cash, chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, said Britain was being “deluged” by European law. He said that we were originally told the EU would not interfere with our justice system.

Our basic right, originally, was that our form of democracy was that we select MPs and they legislate. Then, if we don’t like it, we kick them out .

It sounds great in theory but is no longer the situation.

Les Woods, Sutton