IT frightens me when I read (April 28) that UKIP is gaining ground. I can’t understand how people believe that leaving the European Union will be of benefit to us.

Countries like the US and China are a success because of their size when even small inventions have a customer base that is likely to make an introduction profitable: as part of the EEC we have that large customer base and, if we go it alone, that base will be lost.

There was a time when Britain employed large numbers in engineering.

Today, many firms of yesteryear have failed – not because of the intransigence of the unions, but by bad management.

Most of Britain’s failed car firms have now been taken over by businesses from countries like Germany, Japan and India who appreciate good workers and the engineering expertise that goes with them, and, importantly, the huge market which the EU offers.

I wonder how many of these firms would remain here if they suddenly had to cope with the inevitable tax barriers.

The US and China have the advantage of a limited number of main languages, whereas Europe has many. Judging by propaganda, one gets the impression that some people in the UK feel that, because these people speak with different tongues they are, somehow, different from us, when in fact most of the peoples of Europe are closely related.

Perhaps the time will come when everyone will learn English and that impression of difference will disappear.

DERRICK HOLT, Fortnam Close, Headington