IT is disturbing that Gordon Brown is using the pretence that the recent EU summit will not grant significant new powers to the EU.

How ironic that EU leaders have blown this con-trick by gleefully asserting that it is 90 to 99 per cent the same as the originally rejected constitution and Tony Blair's red line opt-outs are not worth the paper they are written on.

The new EU Treaty actually takes away even more of our power to govern ourselves as well as tyrannically giving itself the permanent right to seize more power without needing any further treaties.

I hope people realise how far from the supposed original concept of a free- trading European Community this Union is, that France now ignores the stability and growth pact, calls for measures that would strip the European Central Bank of its independence, and proposes taking out the original main EEC benefit of free competition.

It is up to those voting in elections not to allow Mr Brown to immediately break his promise to listen to the people, as well as the vote-catching pre-election guarantee of a referendum by 98 per cent of MPs.

John Heslop, Gainford, near Darlington.

THE British people were promised by then Prime Minister Tony Blair that we would be given the opportunity to take part in a referendum on the EU Constitution.

This undertaking was prior to the Netherlands and France voting and saying no.

The proposed "new EU Treaty" is not new, but the old constitution wrapped up in a new cover in an attempt to fool the people. I believe Britain's independence and sovereignty is threatened by the "new treaty" and should not be approved without proper debate, and only with instruction from the electorate.

I am sure our new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, will be honourable and fulfil the promise made by Mr Blair and hold a referendum.

Yes, we do need a referendum, and may I through this column invite all readers to write to their MPs, whether for or against, to instruct them to represent their constituents and not the party line.

If the "new treaty" becomes law we will see a whole range of new laws and policies that will change Britain forever as the constitution/treaty enables the EU to ignore any objections by the British Parliament. So much for democracy.

John H Waiting, Guisborough, East Cleveland.