EU market and political integration are entirely different issues

IN his letter (July 13), Liam Aylward MEP concluded by advising us “now is the time to embrace the EU. Economically, we would be very foolish to do otherwise”.

This typifies the kind of scaremongering tactics we have come to expect from Yes vote advocates. Even if this were true though, it would not be a reason to vote in favour of the Lisbon Treaty unless voting Yes is in our overall long-term national interest, which it clearly isn’t.

However, it is a complete falsehood. Britain is the most eurosceptic member state in the EU and this has not stopped investors or the beginnings of economic recovery. Norway and Switzerland are two of the wealthiest nations in Europe and neither is even a member of the union.