I WAS shocked to read the value of the European Elections in the Fly in the Ointment opinion column, Guardian, May 28.

In one sense, the elections don’t really matter, because MEPs have very little say.

British MEPs amount to only eight per cent of the total number, so it is ludicrous to think that we have any chance of influencing anything.

David Cameron’s idea is, frankly, pie in the sky.

Decisions are made by a small group of commissioners.

Their vision is to manage a disparate group of nation states and bring them together under the same rules and regulations, gradually removing different cultural identities and individual aspects.

They swamp us with mind-boggling directives and regulations which allow them to overrun society because no-one has the ability to question them.

We never agreed to this, but successive Prime Ministers have signed treaties which have taken our freedom, sweeping away a thousand years of individual protection.

The EU has stolen our successful fishing industry and opened up our waters to every other European Nation. Apart from the massive cost of membership, (£55 million per day), we have to buy back our home-produced oil and gas from the European market, creating a massive price hike; thank you, Tony Blair.

I could go on, but readers need to be aware that the EU is having a massive effect on their lives. MEPs matter because it is they who tell us what the Commissioners and their cohorts are up to. The EU touches aspects of everyone’s life and they don’t care whether you vote or not as low turnouts are better.

The article only encourages this as it highlights the disinterest in the elections.

Chris Watkin, chairman, UKIP Cheshire West