There is no problem with Brexit.

Staying in is simple or leaving is simple. However we voted to leave.

The problem is politicians.

A significant number of politicians clearly do not want to leave membership of the EU.

So for the past two and a half years we have been fed misinformation about make believe difficulties, project fear, suppression of real facts etc.

Two recent letters raise the issue of trade, particularly free trade. The endless ‘wrangling’ identified by David Philpot is primarily a ploy by self interested politicians to delay or stop Brexit from ever happening whilst pretending that we’ve left.

In the case of free trade with the EU I did think Ian Jones went a little overboard by implying that we would all die and the world as we know it would collapse around us if we couldn’t have free trade. No it wouldn’t. However I also support free trade. You ask for facts Ian, let me give you facts.

Where two parties intend to separate from an existing trade arrangement (eg EU and UK) the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules are designed to make that process seamless.

Article 24 of WTO rules requires the parties concerned to continue with their existing trade arrangements for up to 10 years.  In other words if the UK left EU membership on March 29 on the default WTO deal (inexplicably referred to as ‘no deal’) then UK/EU trade would simply continue as now – free trade, no trade borders until March 29 2029.

MPs and civil servants should be able to agree a follow-on trading arrangement in 10 years.  In the meantime the UK would be free.

The big difference to the UK would be no payments to the EU, now or future.   No £39 billion, no fees, no part of VAT, no part tariffs that we have to charge to other imports from countries like the USA.   Out of CAP, our own fishing waters back etc. Yes, I can understand why the EU doesn’t want us to leave.

I heard trade experts before say that trade would just continue seamlessly but thought it was just an opinion. But now, having done some research I know why. Those are the rules.

Don Micklewright Weaverham