SIR - Jason Smith of UKIP (T&A, January 25) insists that the European Gendarmerie Treaty could put foreign police on the streets of Britain even though Britain is not signed up to it.

He claims David Miliband admitted as much when he said in response to a parliamentary question by Bob Spink: "I am happy to reassure him that a nation must give its consent before any operation can be held in it."

How Jason Smith can spin David Miliband's words to mean the opposite of what he said beggars belief. The EGF is not an EU proposal or agency and has been set up outside EU structures. It has nothing to do with Britain, the EU or the Reform Treaty.

In short, the EU does not have a police force.

Stuart Baker, Markham Croft, Leeds