THE EU axe’s long shadow hangs over Hampshire Fire Brigade. Britain’s EU opt-out on the 48 hour week has gone. Retained fire fighters are working illegally if their hours (including time “on-call”) exceed the EU limit. Half the Brigade (most of Hampshire’s retained crew of 713) will go. Lives will be lost!

Let’s leave the EU. Don’t be fooled by the Eurocentric “I Want a Referendum” campaign organized by pro-EU Tory leaders. With such EU Treaty referendums, all roads lead to Brussels! We want a real referendum: “In” or “out”! In his groundbreaking publication, “Reporting Back on 2008”, Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne is backing what most voters want: A real referendum on Britain’s EU membership.

If this “Huhne Initiative” becomes a LibDem manifesto commitment, it will give the LibDems the ultimate raison d’etre (promoting a referendum on self-determination) and could attract most floating Tory voters. It is the key to a LibDem government in 2010, a real referendum in 2011 and EU withdrawal by 2013.

Peter Stewart, Eastleigh.