EU relationship is not one of contempt

Dear Sir,

I would like to comment on Michael Owen's letter in last week's Chronicle regarding our relationship with the EU.

His assessment, as articulated in its penultimate paragraph, seems to be that the EU views us with contempt for wanting to leave.

I fi nd this hard to swallow, as of the many words used to describe our action from their perspective that one does not come to mind.

Surprise, amazement or shock, I think was their initial feeling, followed by sadness and perhaps fear as they lost a friend and look to the future, but not contempt.

The EU is only as strong as its component states and us departing will only leave it weaker, something it clearly understands.

I can't see any reason why the EU would want us to leave, though it does have to look after its own interests and as such its actions might be interpreted in such a negative way. - Yours faithfully,

(DR) PETER HIRST

Middlewich.