HOW can Jack Straw justify his statement in his column of October 6: "Having Turkey as a member of the European Union is of massive importance, almost literally for the future of the world," and "there's nothing contradictory between being modern and democratic and being Islamic and showing respect for that great religion?"

Not only is this political emotive claptrap, but another of his sops to his Asian constituents.

Turkey is not particularly democratic (but neither is the UK). It still refuses to recognise the government of Cyprus, after having invaded that island. Its GDP is very low and an acceptance into the EU would inevitably mean large numbers of Turks moving into wealthier EU countries.

The EU powers -that-be, over whom we have little control, seem to be hell-bent on expanding not only into non-European Turkey but into ex-Russian states, too.

We would be better off out of it.

R BRACEWELL (Mr), Ormerod Street, Worsthorne, Burnley.