The French still feel gloriously Gallic | Brief letters
(The Guardian France)

EU membership | Royal National Lifeboat Institution | Sarah Thomas´s Channel swim | Eurovision | Ancient woodlandsI am sorry that James Skelton, a former miner from Sedgefield, feels his Englishness has been eroded by EU membership (Labour´s love lost, 16 September). French-ness is obviously more robust. Here in southern France this summer, the locals have been as gloriously Gallic as ever despite 62 years in the community. Homogeneity has never been part of the EU plan, but many Britons still seem irrationally unnerved by contact with fellow Europeans.Marion WorthBouldoux, Franceo In order to win back those who have cancelled their contributions to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (having discovered that 2% of the charity´s income is spent on life-saving projects abroad), might I suggest a new policy where the RNLI saves only UK citizens in British waters. A simply cry of `Are you a foreigner?` before boarding a distressed vessel might do wonders for their image.Philip ArdaghTunbridge Wells, Kent Continue reading...