I HAVE been very interested lately in the debates regarding our involvement with the European Community.

Before Ted Heath sandbagged us into joining in 1973 we were inundated with all the advantages inherent in a combined economic Europe.

Our hospitals and transport would run with teutonic efficiency, like the Spaniards our OAPs would enjoy holidays in the sun, compliments of a beneficial autocracy, three hour lunches on a Latin scale, and a Francophile's right to ignore any law that we didn't agree with.

Unfortunately we found that we had to slavishly adhere to all directives issued by Brussels, even to the disadvantage of the British public.

Now, while I am not an advocate of getting out of Europe now whatever the cost, it has after all already cost us billions, surely we have the muscle and testicular fortitude to follow in the footsteps of our neighbours to demand a better deal for our own citizens.

And to any political party hoping to buy votes with promises it has no intentions of keeping, I would point out that the "grey vote" gets stronger day by day, year by year.

Even with the Government's punitive taxes, which always seem to be designed to eradicate the elderly, in today's economic climate, the working and middle classes can no longer afford large families.

Pensioner power can only get stronger.

One day we WILL rule the world. You have been warned!

Dennis Sullivan