YP Letters: I won't reject emotional ties to kindred spirits in Europe

An EU official hangs the Union Jack next to the European Union flag at the VIP entrance at the European Commission headquarters.

THOUGH I live in Yorkshire, I consider myself European. I was taught German at a pre-war kindergarten school, then French at grammar school during the war, then more German from an ex-Luftwaffe man after the war during time with the RAF in Germany.

This all proved useful when at university I hitch-hiked around Europe. I guess many people had a similar experience.

Later, working in Birmingham, I took a party of 15 to 18-year-old lads from a youth club on a walking tour of the Rhine Valley, staying in Youth Hostels and meeting many people from other European nations; the following year I took another group to Barcelona, having learnt suffiucient Spanish to get them there.

The point it that, no matter what the arguments for and against Brexit are, I feel I am European and like the feeling of solidarity with the other members of the European Union.

Like the German bricklayer who worked dawn to dusk because “we have to rebuild our country”; the tramp in Spain who taught me how to drink wine from his old leather bottle; the French farmer who let me sleep in his hay loft on Coronation night; the Belgian antique dealer who took me to the site of the Battle of Waterloo. All kindred spirits, and I do not intend to cut myself or my homeland off from them no matter how much Boris Johnson blusters. We may not need “ever closer union”, but we do need to keep what we’ve got.

From: Nigel Bywater, Morley.

BANK of England governor, Mark Carney, has given its starkest warning yet that a UK vote to leave the EU could hit the economy. The UK economy only continues to grow because of high house prices and immigration. In reality, that means the people of the UK are suffering.

From: Peter Bye, Park Crescent, Addingham.

I AM surprised that Gordon Brown has not come out in favour of “Remain” earlier. After all he has been a member of Bilderberg for many years (along with some other Remainers). This organisation is dedicated to globalisation and eventually one world government.

From: GJC Reid, St Anthony’s Road, Middlesbrough.

GORDON Brown says “holidays with pay” are down to the EU.

I have always been led to believe that paid holidays were enshrined in UK law.