I was glad to read William Rees-Mogg's article. Unfortunately, his point of view would not be acceptable in France: no newspaper, radio or TV programme would allow him to express such ideas. As a journalist, he would be fired, and as a citizen, he would labelled populist or extreme. I was born in Normandy and I have been living here for 20 years. I have always considered the English to be my brothers and am very sad that the French government sees Britain and America as villains. A. Goubert, Normandy

The plea by Catherine Colonna, the French European Affairs Minister, that our reaction is not democratic is priceless! Juvenal will be spinning hysterically in his grave! The future looks fascinating. Will Chirac and Schröder bulldoze their nightmare through, trampling on the wishes of the majority of the European electorate? Or will “yesterday’s men” be crushed by the power of the democratic process? My guess is that we must not underrate the guile of these men. We must be vigilant. They will be. David Taylor, Leeds

In Germany, the decision on the European constitution was left to the members of the Bundestag, 95 per cent of whom voted in favour. When a TV reporter stood outside the Parliament building and asked some MPs three basic questions about the constitution, not one got a single answer right, presumably because none had bothered to read the 500 pages. They voted according to their conscience and in the belief that the constitution was a good thing, but they voted in ignorance. John Shirley, Ipswich

Let’s be frank about a United States of Europe. British sovereignty is dead, demonstrably so since America brought us to heel at Suez half a century ago. We aren’t big enough. We could contribute to joint decisions as part of a larger power group, but have zero capability for independent action. Europe is nearer and has stopped starting wars, while America desperately needs a balancing superstate. The European Union needs to be fixed before it develops into the abomination that William Rees-Mogg describes. Our neglect and indeed our obstructionism contributed to its flaws. We should work to correct them, then rejoice in the United States of Europe that this renders possible. Noel Falconer, Couiza, France

The two most inspiring declarations of rights and responsibilities are both in English; Magna Carta and the Constitution of the United States of America. What an opportunity and challenge for Blair. Not an opaque and contradictory mishmash where there was something for everyone to hate, but a statement of principle with one sentence each to define the role and relationship between national governments, the European Parliament and the European Commission, reduced to what it always should have been, the civil service tool of the members, not the motor of over-regulation. Blair could do worse than to ask William Rees-Mogg to draft it. Jeremy James, St Julien, France

I have lived in France for the past 10 years, and believe that a United States of Europe is an excellent idea - but not for the UK, nor for most of the other members of the EC. William Rees-Mogg is exactly right; the solution is a multi-speed Europe, with a core of say France, Germany, Italy, and Belgium. The common market is the right answer for those countries, including the UK, where economically, culturally, and historically, the way forward is not within a European super-state. Mark Williams, Louveciennes, France

One can only admire the brass necks of the French workers who, having extracted from their own government the shortest working hours, the best pay, the longest holidays, and the best pensions, want them enshrined in a European constitution, so that no matter what happens in the future their cosseted condition must be preserved regardless of who else suffers. Des Keenan, Wembley, Middlesex

As an Englishman who has lived for long periods in France and the Netherlands, I have long felt that getting everyone to accept the same currency, social system, laws and regulations would prove unworkable. We in the UK do not want to be told how many hours a week to work (as the French apparently do), and the French do not want to be told to cut back on their social benefits. Let us have a loose, friendly grouping of democratic nations running their own affairs without interference. Ronald Forrest, Wells, Somerset

When will European leaders see that the threat to their jobs and living standards comes not from the Anglo Saxon liberal economy, but from the East? Victor Tan, London

To a US libertarian, there is a clear sense that the “no” voters did the right thing for the wrong reasons. Fearful of losing their smorgasbord of socialist entitlements, the French and Dutch have inadvertently put the brakes on the international movement towards larger, more powerful and intrusive government. Libertarians and Socialists have thus become unlikely allies. The sheer unwieldiness of the proposed constitution has demonstrated the wisdom of the US Constitution, which stuck to fundamental principles of personal liberty and put restraints on government. This setback to the unification of Europe has secretly delighted many business people in the US, who see a weakened Europe as an export opportunity. Kevin Jones, Chicago

We are what we are as a country because of a buccaneering and rapacious history. We should not be apologising for our past, we should respect it and learn from it. The last thing we should be contemplating is being any part of an inward looking, bureaucratic and self conscious society that has no long term history of, or commitiment to, democracy. Let me first see a truly "open market", as originally envisaged, respected by all member states, then let us talk about the next step. There's a long way to go, and we don't need a constitution to tell us how to trade. Richard Murphy, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Why should the people vote for a constitution that gives complete control to bureaucrats who think they are autocrats and ignore the majority of the people? The very notion of Chirac thinking that he can and should ignore what the majority of his countrymen said proves this point. The "no" vote in France proves they do not approve of the arrogance of those responsible. Trying to force the issue and force respect when they have failed to earn it makes the politicians no better than despots and tyrants. Daniel A. Kormanik, Newtown, CT, USA

I respect our European neighbours. There are many aspects of their culture and society that I like and enjoy. I also recognise and respect the differences that exist between us and would vote 'no' in a referendum on the European consitution. In order to extend and cement our relationship in the direction that many members of the European Union appear to want, a degree of compromise would be required that would influence and change life in the UK to an extent that I find undesirable. The compromises will be dictated to a large degree by the stronger EU members and the result will be national issues (such as protecting French farming) and unworkable directives put together by bureaucrats trying to be all things to all people. It will be expensive, wasteful and eventually divisive. We should co-operate like good, friendly neighbours who get on well but don't have to move in with one another to exist. Keith Downer, London, UK