The countries of the European Union do not want us to leave and are demanding a very handsome “divorce settle­ment” – their term, not ours.

They want our money as they well know that without it the EU is in a difficult financial situation. Hence the current negotiations. But the nature of negotiations is that one negotiates, something the EU is unwilling to do.

It certainly suits us to continue in some sort of trading arrangement with the EU, but history also tells us that free trade arrangements with other nations benefit the countries who operate that way – something we cannot do as a member of the EU.

At the purely economic level, quite apart from the more important reality of regaining sovereignty over our own country again, we need to be out of the EU, even if it makes for a rocky ride in the short term. Britain will survive.

Much the same situation exists regarding the land border question with the Republic of Ireland: the Republic’s government well knows that Ireland needs the trade it has with the UK, and the EU simply cannot tell us to “sort out the border issue” before agreeing any sort of trade arrangements between us.

Our side of the border is our responsibility, not the EU’s, and if they want a hard border then let them police their side of it, but don’t interfere with our side.

If the USA and Canada can manage a largely “soft” border, then so can the UK with the rest of Ireland. Given a little agreement – and in fact basically the whole of Ireland, both Northern Ireland and the Republic, is already agreed on a soft border – then it cannot be too difficult a situation to sort out.

We need, therefore, to call the EU’s bluff: if they want their so-called divorce settlement and terms then let it be a settlement. And if not we simply need to walk away from the negotiating table and let them come to us: they cannot stop us leaving, agreement or no agreement.

Whatever happens we simply must not cave in to the current EU demands for a huge cash settlement before talking about trade.

I don’t follow a political party, as such, but Theresa May was absolutely right in saying that “no deal is better than a bad deal”.

Rolf Burnie

Thurlestone