IT IS regrettable that Mr Wilson (Oxford Mail, June 8) believes the European Union is ‘profoundly undemocratic’, despite ample evidence to the contrary. 

It is particularly ironic when you consider the shortcomings inherent in the Westminster system, which disenfranchises whole swathes of the electorate “by conferring on a few thousand swing voters in a handful of constituencies the privilege of determining who will govern for the whole of Britain for the next five years” and in which a coterie of ermine-draped has-beens occupying the benches of the House of Lords can, despite lacking any democratic legitimacy whatsoever, stifle the will of the people by blocking key parts of an elected government’s legislative agenda.

While many of us would like to see improvements to the way Westminster works, we recognise that its reform will only be achieved by improving those existing structures, not by doing away with them in their entirety and starting over.

By the same token, if we are serious in our desire to make the EU work better for the citizens of its member states, let’s start engaging constructively with our European partners, with more than lukewarm conviction, to achieve those reforms we want to see, resisting the age-old temptation to blame the EU for our own governments’ failings and inaction. 

Similarly, the European Parliament might be held in higher regard if we elected more serious people to properly scrutinise the activities of the commission, and argue the case for a British vision of reform in Europe, in place of some of the harrumphing windbags who currently represent us.

The EU is a force for good that benefits Britain immensely, affording it the opportunity to co-operate with our nearest neighbours in addressing global political, economic and social challenges that require international responses, and legislating for the medium and long-term benefit of EU citizens on a whole host of issues that national governments, with their often short-termist myopia, daren’t confront.

Let’s not be foolish enough to take such risks with our future prosperity on the back of discredited myths and fantasy economics. Let’s vote to remain part of the European Union.

NICK SPICKERNELL
Prestwich Place, Oxford