AS time goes on those who wish to remain tied to the EU get more and more hysterical at the prospect of the UK leaving the EU and re-establishing our freedoms.

The most common level of hysteria surrounds the false claim that leaving under WTO rules (No deal) would be a ‘disaster’ for the UK. A claim that is repeated ad nauseum without any justifying evidence whatsoever.

The only reason Remainers are against a no deal is because it is the default and will actually allow the UK to leave the EU quickly, fully and cleanly.

There are only two types of trade deal. One with tariffs and one without (otherwise known as free trade). As far as tariffs are concerned these can either be negotiated by the two parties concerned or set by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

These WTO rules that would apply to the UK are pretty good to the UK anyway but the UK has already stated that it will not apply any tariffs to EU goods.

The UK has a preference for free trade generally. Unfortunately the negotiations of the last two or three years have been a total sham.

It became fairly obvious that Mrs May never had any intention that the UK would ever leave the EU.

In the early days David Davis negotiated what was effectively a free trade deal with the EU, usually referred to as Canada Plus.

Mrs May refused to implement the agreement, presumably because it would have meant leaving the EU quickly and cleanly. Leaving on the default status of ‘no deal’ would allow both sides to subsequently restore the Canada Plus deal much to the benefit of both the UK and the EU.

We now have to wait and see if the new PM and parliament will genuinely attempt to apply the will of the people, or if they will embark on another long drawn out affair. If we don’t leave on October 31 then I think we can all sit back for a long period of more pretence and contempt for the people.

Don Micklewright Weaverham