A matter of perspective

Asked by one of our readers to offer ten benefits that Britain has gained through membership of the EU, Chris Davies, LibDem MEP for the North West, offered the following:

The EU Emissions Trading Scheme

The Water Framework Directive

The National Emissions Ceilings Directive

The Habitats Directive

The Waste Incinerator Directive

The Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations

The Landfill Directive

The Electrical and Electronic Waste Directive

The End-of-Life Vehicles Directive

The Natura 2000 Programme

All of them, he writes, and many others, are driving forward improvements in Britain's environment.

So, Mr Davies, the EU is good for the environment is it? And which planet did you say you came from?

This, incidentally, is the man who, back in 1979, restricted his honeymoon to only one night in the Liverpool Adelphi Hotel because he had to get home the following morning to write a leaflet for his Party – and is so proud of it that he puts it on his website.