30 DECEMBER 2000, Page 23

No to EU and PR From Mr Giles Conway-Gordon Sir:

Hugo Young is very confused (William Hague's winning idea', 9 December). He acknowledges the significance and popular- ity of William Hague's view that the power of the state has become excessive and should be reduced, yet continues to bang the uncritical Europhile drum.

Since the Treaty of Rome, the European Union has turned into a massive exercise in what can fairly be described as power-laun- dering. If William Hague is right, as he surely is, then the real and urgent task for the new millennium is to restore to the electorates they belong to (at least in this country) the fundamental democratic rights and liberties of the citizens of Europe which successive politicians have been too cowardly and dishonest to resist steadily sacrificing to the EU juggernaut.

As for proportional representation, I sug- gest Mr Young takes a closer look at Italy and Israel. The electorates of both of these countries would give their eye-teeth to jetti- son PR and the political chaos it has gener- ated in favour of a voting system producing clear political authority.

Giles Conway-Gordon

London W11