I FOUND Peter Hale's letter (HAS, Jan 17) very interesting, but it isn't just about what Europe is doing to the world, it's also about what Europe is doing to itself.

Every country within Europe took thousands of years to develop. The laws each country created to govern itself embodies the cultural, moral attitudes and ethical values which made that country work.

Most of our laws are now made in Brussels, where the attitude of "one size fits all" presumes that if something works in one country, it will work in others.

Our so-called leaders decided that Britain should reject the laws and values which for countless generations made this nation work, and instead adopt continental laws and non-physical methods to discipline children.

But adopting the laws of another nation doesn't bring with it the morals and values which lay behind them. The result of which is that many children think respect comes from a willingness to steal, do drugs, assault the old and disabled, vandalise, get drunk and kick a decent man to death.

CT Riley, Spennymoor, Co Durham.