THE British Chancellor's rant against the European Union for delaying one of his finicky little grants shows him desperately trying to look tough on Europe just before an election.

But this same Chancellor is committed in principle to Economic and Monetary Union.

Does he really not see that an organisation that spends months studying one of his little schemes is hopelessly bureaucratic and inflexible?

How can he then seriously consider transferring responsibility for monetary and economic management to Europe?

In order to be globally competitive, we need to be flexible and quick to respond to events, especially changes in tax rates in other jurisdictions. At the moment we have that flexibility. We have every reason to fear that as part of a Common Economic Policy we would lose it.

The Common Agricultural Policy is not characterised by flexibility, speed of response or adaptability. I believe there is no reason to suppose that a Common Economic Policy would be any better!

STEPHEN CLEE,

Worcestershire County Councillor.