SIR – I cannot decide whether Jason Smith (Letters, July 16) is being mischievous, or whether he genuinely believes that the European court is a vile creation of the EU.

Either way, he is wrong and UKIP’s wish to see an end to it is misguided because for all its faults it is still the guardian of our basic freedoms.

I am sure that Mr Smith never ever considers the consequences of his membership of an anti-government party or the writing of critical letters.

In other countries such as Egypt or China, he would face harassment at best, imprisonment at worst, but here the worst he can expect is ridicule from other correspondents like myself.

His right to freedom of expression and to join a political party of his choice are guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. He wants us to leave it simply because its interpreter – the European Court – has handed down a few contentious rulings.

While he and I cannot envisage a situation where our rights would be curtailed, it is important that we set an example to other countries whose approach to human rights is less fastidious.

Brian Holmans, Langley Road, Bingley