With the appearance of the recent letter from R Lee (letters, February 26) I too was embarrassed to be British.

He asserts that 50 per cent of the UK’s imports and exports involve the EU. It should be pointed out the last cost/benefit analysis done for the Bruges Group showed that by 2007 Britain had an accumulated trade deficit with other EU member states of £387.7 billion.

Perhaps he can explain how, if 50 per cent of our imports and exports involve the EU, and we have benefited so much from membership, we have a trade deficit? He also writes about the EU being the world’s largest free-trade area, yet does not mention over-regulation on business costs Britain at least £28 billion per annum, and in 2008 membership of the EU cost the UK £55.8 billion.

Accusing UKIP members of being xenophobic repeats the smears of the three main parties, and simultaneously shows his ignorance of UKIP’s beliefs.

Had he read our policies, an accusation of xenophobia is the last one he could justify.

Three times David Cameron has been challenged by the Witney branch of UKIP to a public debate on Britain's membership of the EU - and three times he has declined.

Between now and the end of April UKIP is holding public meetings throughout the constituency, which will be addressed by Nikolai Tolstoy our Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, to which I extend R Lee a most cordial invitation.

David Phipps, Chairman, Witney Constituency Association, UK Independence Party