If it's unpopular, blame it on Europe. This is a tactic being followed by UKIP and Tory Eurosceptics in letter-writing campaigns to newspapers.

Latest example is Graham Booth, UKIP MEP, who writes to the Western Morning News (30 May) to complain about the proportion of British legislation that is adopted by statutory instruments instead of by government bills. Fair point for discussion. However, without explaining any link, he blames this purely internal matter on the European Union. Saying that "It would be difficult to think of a more stupid way of legislating in a democracy - but then the EU model is not aimed at democracies but at totalitarian regimes and subservient populations."

They really will have to start doing better than tagging on a few gratuitous and unfounded insults about the European Union to matters that concern subjects that don't have anything to do with the EU.