Dear Sir

 

Derek Wyatt accuses me of wanting the UK to become a third-rate power. Far from it; I believe that Britain is more than capable of competing with the emerging nations, such as China and India, but its ability to do so is being hampered by ever more regulation, much of which is imposed on us by the European Union, with which those countries are not burdened.

 

In contrast, it is Mr Wyatt who denigrates our country by insisting that in order to remain a world power we need to be part of some massive European super state. Of course, losing our national identity in the process does not worry the cosmopolitan Mr Wyatt and his ilk!

 

Mr Wyatt wants the Government to spend more on infrastructure projects. This from somebody who was part of a Labour administration that left our country almost bankrupt and whose colleague Liam Byrne left a note for the incoming Chief Secretary to the Treasury which read: “I’m afraid there is no money!”

 

He was right. Britain is massively in debt and without urgent action from the Coalition Government would have ended up in the same position as Ireland, Greece, Portugal and Italy. So what is Mr Wyatt’s solution to solving Labour’s appalling economic legacy? Spend even more money that we don’t have!  That is not rocket science, Derek, it’s the economics of the madhouse.

 

But of course, there is one way in which we could save some money. Because of decisions taking by the last Labour government, Britain’s net contribution to the EU is now £10 billion a year. If we get out of the EU that money could be used on infrastructure projects and job creation. Would Mr Wyatt back that plan? I suspect not!

 

Yours

 

Gordon

 

GORDON HENDERSON MP