JOHN DOUGLAS, who is so angry about the European Union (Common Market

to him), is mistaken in nearly all the facts which underpin his anger

(February 3).

The recently reported case of UK citizens the European Commission on

Human Rights believes were falsely imprisoned for non-payment of poll

tax has nothing to do with the European Union.

The European Convention on Human Rights was made through the Council

of Europe (inaugurated at St James's Palace, London, on May 5, 1949) by

European Governments led by Britain, determined to create institutions

which could act to protect all the peoples of Europe against a

recurrence of the kind of tyranny which had just been defeated.

Fifty years after the liberation of Belsen by the British Army, does

Mr Douglas really want us to turn our backs on the European Convention

for Human Rights? A lot more is at stake than whether English

magistrates can send poll tax debtors to prison without a fair trial.

Christopher Mason,

Leader, Liberal Democrat

Group, Strathclyde Regional

Council,

20 India Street,

Glasgow.