D E Margrett's latest offering of pro-EU propaganda hinges on the idea that the US is far more corrupt than the EU.

I hardly think this can be the case. Even the US doesn't get caught funding Palestinian terrorism.

Does Mr Margrett actually know that 20 per cent of the EU budget disappears in fraud?

More than 5,000 cases of financial irregularity are found annually by the EU court of Auditors.

The Court of Auditors has not been prepared to sign the EU accounts even once in the past eight years, citing institutionalised fraud.

Of the 5000 investigated cases, around 20 per cent of these - 1,000 per year - are proven to be outright fraud. This is the equivalent of one proven case of fraud every nine hours.

But have you ever once heard of such a case coming to court? Of course not - EU officials are immune from prosecution.

The entire European Commission resigned over being caught out in this way - many of the Commissioners have now returned to their former jobs.

These levels of corruption are unprecedented in democratic government. I cannot, in good conscience, support Britain's membership of such an organisation, which is rotten to the core and cannot be reformed.

Our politicians have spent nearly 30 years trying to reform the EU. The situation today is worse than ever - it's time to cut our losses and welcome back democracy with open arms.

JONATHAN ARNOTT,

Sheffield.