MAY I respond to Christopher Denne (Letters, August 25) regarding my Trago piece about the European Court of Human Rights and its interference in our affairs, specifically its ruling 200 Somalis cannot be sent home because it would infringe their human rights?

Mr Denne states that the ECHR has nothing to do with the European Union, but I'm afraid he's wrong. Britain certainly helped set up the ECHR after world war two, and were always able to ignore its rulings if we wanted to.  In practise we rarely did, but the Court's rulings were never 'binding' on us. But now they are, thanks to the EU.  

A few examples are votes for prisoners; women paying increased car-insurance premiums, despite being safer drivers, and, of course, those 200 Somalis given permission to stay here in Britain.  Mr Denne may be happy for his taxes to pay for their B&B but I suspect he's in the minority.

In the words of comedian Jethro: 'See, what happened was . . .' When Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty all rulings from the ECHR became 'Justiciable' throughout all 27 member states.  In effect, Brussels wrapped a great big welcoming arm around the court and said: 'Come inside and have a cuppa', and then slammed the door, locked it, and triumphantly dropped the key down its cleavage: 'Gotcha!'

Mr Denne rather proves my point. The ECHR was once a great institution and a huge achievement.  But in its own brilliantly sneaky way the EU effectively took it over (via the Lisbon Treaty). They do this all the time. They look at something that works (the Post Office for example) and decide to meddle.

Result? 'Chaos, muddle, disorder.  My work here is done.'  And then they move on to something else.  Join the euro, anyone?

That is why UKIP will withdraw from the ECHR and scrap the Human Rights Act. And that's a promise.

David Challice

UK Independence Party

Lexdrum House

Newton Abbot

IT beggars belief that Christopher Denne can consider the European Human Rights Act to be one of the great human rights achievements of all time. This is the Act which makes it almost impossible to deport terrorists and supports criminals, whilst at the same time effectively persecuting those who want to stand for their Christian principles.

It is disingenuous of Mr Denne to suggest that David Challice (writing in the Trago Mills advert) and UKIP, in wanting this Act to be rescinded (and they are far from alone in that) have no interest in human rights.

I would support a bill of rights based on the biblical principles of our Christian heritage, which would be good for all. But the pernicious European Human Rights Act has turned those traditional values on their head, and a sinister, atheistic, totalitarianism is using it to our destruction. That is good, is it Mr Denne? Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; (Isaiah 5:20)

Terence Scarborough

Uplands

Tavistock

MR Denne, quite rightly praised Churchill for setting the European Court of Human Rights in motion.

The reason was, Europe had lost its way. Germany tortured, killed, put into camps millions of men, women and children. This was done with the help of the authorities in France, Italy, Holland, Norway and many other nations in Europe.

Churchill realised Europe had lost its moral compass. He would be turning in his grave if he could see what a complete farce it has become. The legal profession has done very well out of it all, as usual. The last piece of stupidity is the ruling that a convicted paedophile can live with his children.

I do wonder, though, how many cases of utter stupidity Mr Denne has to see before even he gets a little doubt entering his mind. Or is it the usual European blindness: see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil.

D P Hunter

Cox Park Road

Tavistock