We concur with Peter Higginbotham and Jonathan Phillips (Gazette, June 9th) but would like to put the case in everyday terms.

1. The much shouted figure of £350m is a gross figure that does not account for our negotiated automatic rebate and the money paid through the Common Agricultural Policy, the cash towards development and research that companies and universities receive, the funding for infrastructure less prosperous regions get from the EU Development Fund, money for job creation schemes for young adults and a proportion towards the UK’s Foreign Aid budget. The NETT amount we contribute is therefore in the region of £115 and we are down in eighth position as a nett contributor to the EU.

2. Immigration has long been an issue in our crowded island but it is not a problem caused by the EU. At every stage initially immigrants have come to take on jobs that the British either were not able or did not wish to do. Let us leave the very sad problem of refugees out of the equation please. They deserve our humanity and help where we can. The vast majority of EU migrants come to take jobs, as in the past, that British people can’t or won’t take on. Looking at the average shopping basket, how many people know who picked their strawberries, washed and packed their salad bags or dug, washed and packed their potatoes? How many care homes rely on people from the EU and beyond for staff? When we visit a hotel who are the housekeepers and maintenance staff, or when we eat in a restaurant, who cooks and washes up? The overwhelming majority are from countries outside Britain. And then there are the plumbers and electricians who supply shortages in their skills. These jobs and skills are not suddenly going to be easy to fill if we leave the EU and if we have a rigid skills quota that won’t include the everyday jobs. We have heard someone say that they don’t like the idea that migrant workers send money to families in their home countries. They send from their disposable income after paying taxes, bills and living costs. None of us would like to be told how to spend what’s left of our income, would we!

3. Many like to consider the EU the big bogeyman but look at where it helps us. The European Health Insurance Card helps us holiday in Europe. Action to reduce air pollution and manage air quality has been driven largely by Europe, a vital measure to reduce asthma in young children and adult illnesses that further burden our stretched NHS. The EU has enshrined workers rights and equal pay and a consistent system of food labelling so we know what we are eating at home as well as out, to name but a few beneficial actions.

4. Lastly, all of European States including Britain have benefited from co-operation (often hard won) and peace in the last 70 years.Why should we jeopardise that? Marine Le Pen of France’s National Front wants us to leave as that would lend credence to ultra nationalistic, isolationist movements in other EU countries who wish to isolate themselves from global problems. That is not possible in a world where Britain on its own would have miniscule influence to retain the peace and harmony we all long for. One of us saw the devastation caused by ultranationalism in his National Service days.

So please think very carefully. Perhaps this is not a good time to jump, with the world economy still unstable and international tension and terrorism increasing.

Robin, Sheila & Robert Wright

Three generations of one family.

The Old Farm, Cheltenham Avenue

Ilkley