Julian Brazil’s letter, of January 19, and Ray Wakelin’s, of January 26, bemoan our vote to leave the EU. They are full of contradictions and negativity.

Last autumn, Julian and the Lib Dems, were stoutly objecting to the merger of South Hams District Council with West Devon, condemning their reckless plan to borrow up to £80m, to invest. And, thank God, the whole thing was dropped. However, our Government borrowing around £8bn net to hand out to the EU, year in year out for no return, is okay by Julian and, presumably, Ray.

The supposed benefit, of access to "the free trade area”, can therefore hardly be called “free” as the hefty EU membership fee is really a tariff in disguise. If we traded under World Trade Organisaton rules, and without this annual burden, we would make a worthwhile net gain from tariffs, as we import much more from the EU than they import from us. We must be prepared to fall back on this option if the EU’s negotiators continue with their unreasonable demands and delays.

Both Julian and Ray make confused comments about the economy: Julian, that we’re sinking into a quicksand of mediocrity and, with Ray also, that we have lost virtually all our manufacturing industry.

Some of this can, indeed, be laid at the EU’s door, as subsidising struggling home industries is prohibited under EU law. But then Ray says “this country has done very well” from the Common Market and EU. So, remoaners, which is it, success or failure?

If Britain is such a mediocre and failing nation, why have all these migrants, from Eastern Europe, been flooding over here to find work and hopefully gain residency? It’s not us but the EU which is mediocre and failing, if it can not function without huge handouts, disguised as membership fees, from Britain and other wealthier countries, .

Ray condems the Brexit referendum result and echoes calls for a second vote. However, the turnout of 72 per cent was much greater than in the 1975 referendum, on the Common Market, where it was only 64 per cent. We didn’t hear calls for a re-run then, when europhiles got the “stay in” result they wanted. And when we joined the EU in the early 1990s, there was absolutely no public consultation. They didn’t complain about that either. For remainers and Eurocrats, democracy is a great idea, as long as it gives you the result you want.

The 2016 referendum date was announced on February 20.

Remainers had a full four months to prepare and persuade the public of their case.

They failed and should now stop complaining. The public chose Leave by 52 per cent to 48 per cent, a simple majority of four per cent. Regarding proportional representation, favoured by Ray, Julian and the Lib Dems, the recent coalition government held a referendum on this, back in 2011. It was resoundingly thrown out by 67.9 per cent to 32.1 per cent. Nick Clegg acknowledged, “when you’ve got an answer as clear as this, you’ve got to accept it”.

Undoubtedly our economy suffered a slight jolt after the Brexit vote, due to uncertainty. But this is nothing compared to the recession following the 2008/9 banking crisis.

However, since then, both the size of our economy and GDP per head have recovered and increased steadily, exceeding recent expectations.

Ever since the 2016 referendum was announced, major institutions such as the Bank of England and Treasury have been making dire and wrong predictions on Brexit.

In 2016, the Bank of England predicted housing investment would fall by 4.75 per cent, but it’s gone up by five per cent. They said exports would only increase by 0.5 per cent, whereas they have increased by 8.3 per cent.

They said employment would remain static, the Treasury even predicting a substantial fall. In fact, employment has increased to a 40-year high. UK unemployment stands currently at around 4.3 per cent, just half of that in the EU. How wrong can these top professionals get it? Does all this sound like failure?

If Brexit is doing one thing it is generating energy and enthusiasm, with the coming opportunity to strike our own trade deals, especially within our Commonwealth family, who are already making overtures for independent trading arrangements with us.

Pursuing these, and looking to the greater global opportunities, will be to everyone’s benefit.

Ian Phillips

Moreleigh Road Harbertonford