Like your earlier pro-EU correspondents, Richard Newcombe appears to have been elsewhere when the Referendum was held. Just to remind everyone, 17.4 million people voted to leave. There was also a massive majority for parties at the subsequent General Election for candidates who promised to implement Brexit. Indeed, MPs as representatives voted overwhelmingly for the Referendum and for the legislation which means we will leave on March 29. The only people who seem to not get this are those who lost the biggest democratic vote we have ever had in this country.

And it is not up to Mr Newcombe to judge why people voted for freedom from the EU. As it happens, it is greater control over our own affairs - greater democracy here in Britain - that led me to work for 25 years to achieve that result. It happens to be my view, and the professional opinion of many economists too, that Brexit will offer us the opportunity to become more prosperous. With a WTO exit we don’t even pay the extortionate £39 billion exit fee.

If government follow the advice from Brexiteers they will remove import duties, which the EU now forces us to levy on all foods we do not grow here and all footwear and clothing and that will reduce the bills of many of the less well off the most.

As to the City - it is booming, as anyone can see who goes there. And Nissan has not moved any production out of the UK but decided to retain a model in Japan where it was always made, largely because of complexities arising out of EYU emissions regulations. Emissions cheating by Volkswagen and others has resulted in disruption to production across Europe.

The message is that Brexit offers great opportunities for more trade, wider world relationships (including both the old and new Commonwealth countries) and for Britain to make up its own mind, through the ballot box, how we want to run our country. Better Off Out.

Andrew Smith

Hemnall Street, Epping