I HAVE noticed a number of letters published which are wrong in many essentials concerning the EU.

I should like to try and debunk a few myths, if I may.

Myth: Being in the EU safeguards jobs. Fact: Over one million UK jobs have been lost since we joined the EU, including whole industries wiped out such as ship and train building, chemicals, textiles, mining, steel production and chocolate making while others like fishing and farming, to name but a few, have suffered badly under EU regulations.

Myth: Three to four million jobs depend on being in the EU. Fact: No, they depend on trade with the EU, which will not suffer. It would be against EU and World Trade Organisation rules to enter into a trade war just because we left. Any such action would be illegal and worse for them as over five million jobs in France, Germany and elsewhere depend on trade with us. They sell us £8.1 billion a month more than we do them.

Myth: We are too small to compete alone outside the EU. Fact: Greenland, the only nation so far to leave the EU and with a smaller population than Cheltenham, trades around the globe with its own seat in the World Trade Organisation. Under the Treaty of Rome we can not make our own trade deals. Greenland can.

Myth: Large companies will leave/not come to the UK if we leave the EU. Fact: 11 major companies have said they will stay even if we leave the EU and already three, including Boeing aircraft, have said they want to come here regardless of whether we go or stay. In or out makes no difference to attracting international companies.

Myth: We have influence in the EU. Fact: Yes, but very little. We have lost 40 out of the last 40 times we tried to stop deals/agreements damaging to the UK.

Myth: It takes a long time to make a deal with another country, seven years in the case of Canada for example. Fact: It is being in the EU which causes these delays; outside the EU via the WTO we could make deals in weeks or quicker.

Myth: Being in the EU safeguards wages. Fact: "Outside the EU wages would rise" (Quote from Lord Rose, leader of the group trying to keep us in called "Britain Stronger in Europe"). Wage compression, caused by being in the EU, has seen many workers not have a wage increase in years.

Myth: We need to be in the EU for police co-operation. Fact: Interpol covers 190 nations around the globe, including those in the EU, and fully co-operate with each other. We do not need a separate EU police force. "Half of European Union's police forces do not co-operate with the other half", quote from Holger Muench, head of the German police force.

Myth: We could not go abroad if we leave the EU. Fact: Why? We did for centuries before the EU was formed. International tourism is worth billions of pounds per year and will not be stopped. The UK is outside the Schengen Area, so nothing will change.

This just scrapes the surface of the myths the "Project Fear" side love to spread, but it would take a page or more to debunk them completely. We have nothing to lose, and much to gain, by voting "leave" on June 23.

GREG HEATHCLIFFE

Okus Road

Swindon