European Union

David Wedgwood in his letter (BFP 20th March) in referring to the EU finding for rural business and start ups in the villages around Bury St Edmunds stated 'why on earth we have to crawl to the EU to get some of our money back.' Emotive words indeed. They are also the language of failure when rational argument has failed.

When I went to the Parish Councils in Fornham All Saints and Fornham St Martin to seek financial support for the new Youth Club I did not go crawling to them when I asked for that money. When the Borough Council asked the government for financial support for Infrastructure Works and received £4.5 million it did not go crawling to them! It was all taxpayers money after all so why did we have to ask? To keep proper controls on how taxpayers money is spent.

So why is it that some people think that asking for money from the EU is somehow demeaning? Actually we did not go to the EU asking for this £3.3 million! The EU decided for itself that funds of this nature where needed to help cope with the recession. It set up the fund and invited interested parties to bid for the funds. That is how it should be, after all as critics have pointed out quite rightly we need proper checks and balances on EU monies! We don't want not them handed out irrespective of need without proper controls. Do we?

David says that the European Union is undemocratic. Perhaps he has not noticed we are having elections to the European Parliament on 4th June?

There is a serious democratic deficit in the UK. There are no effective local democratic controls over the Primary Care Trust; the Suffolk Police Authority; the East of England Development Agency; the Broads Authority and as most people are beginning to realise over the Boundary Committee who are deciding the fate of local democracy in Suffolk!

Look closer to home. We need to get our own house in order!