Opposite view
Sir; In his blind hostility to the European Community, Mr Douglas Jay inadvertently destroys his own case in alleging that Brussels wants to grab our oil (December 21). Contrary to all statements made by the Commission and by our Ministers, he continues to claim that the Community wants to deprive Britain of our sovereignty over the ownership and control of our North Sea oil resources. As a contrast to these alleged sinister aims of the Community, he cites what he described as the highly desirable method of control, by the International Energy Agency, recently established in Washington. He omits to mention that decisions by the American-based organisation are all by majority vote, which means that, unlike inside the Community, Britain has no sovereign veto power, and must conform to its decisions whether we like them or not.
In face of all of the evidence to the contrary, he furthermore reiterates his old claims that the Community's agricultural policy is harmful and highly damaging to Britain. What British housewife, faced with much higher food prices were we foolishly to leave the Community, would agree with him?
Ernest Wistrich Director, The European Movement, Europe House, la Whitehall Place, London SW1.
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