SIR I was delighted to learn from Philip Bird's letter (T&A, May 13) that the fault line' in the Conservative Party which wrecked John Major's government has been re-opened by Philip Davies and 50 other MPs who want absolutely nothing to do with the EU.

David Cameron's pitch for the leadership included the making of anti-federalist noises, which I assume Mr Davies and friends took to signify opposition to the entire European project and voted accordingly.

Now Cameron is their leader, his rhetoric has become much less aggressive because he also has to take into account the opinions of his non-parliamentary backers whose main concern is their own financial well-being.

Knowing their wealth depends in a large part on the free flow of goods, services and money across Europe and beyond, they will fight to ensure total withdrawal from the Union never becomes party policy.

I therefore give my wholehearted support along with that of Mr Bird to Mr Davies and the other irreconcilables in their attempt to once more split the Tory party over Europe because the sooner it is reduced to the unmanageable shambles it was before 1997, the better for the rest of us.

Brian Holmans, Langley Road, Bingley