If goodwill is there then it is fine to operate freely post-Brexit

The sad fact is that Mrs May is not a very skilful negotiator having been dilatory in starting Article 50 running and then chucking most of her cards away.

To be fair, she has not been assisted by some of her own Remainer MPs, many others in both Houses of Parliament or by the Labour Party, who have simply played politics trying to force a general election rather than assist to get the best deal for Britain.

If the UK were to remain within the EU customs union, then it must levy the rather high tariffs at rates set by Brussels.

These tariffs are designed to protect uncompetitive producers in EU states. British shoppers would therefore keep paying more for imports, particularly on things like food, clothing and shoes.

Some 80 per cent of these tariffs have to be paid to Brussels – which is billions of pounds each year.

As the UK trades more with non-EU countries than most other large EU members do, we pay a rather unfair share of the combined customs tariffs that Brussels receives.

Staying in the customs union would stop Britain entering into trade deals with non-EU countries – that is about 85 per cent of the world’s economy.

The EU merely accounts for around 15 per cent.

The Irish border has been turned, by the EU, into a major issue, designed to thwart Brexit.

They are claiming that our leaving the EU means the imposition of a “hard border” if no UK-EU free trade agreement is signed.

Yet, at the moment, the two sides of this border already cope with the challenges of different currencies (the Irish Republic using the Euro), different excise rates, and different tax regimes.

Therefore, post-Brexit, it is quite feasible – if there is goodwill – to operate freely using existing technology, trusted-trader schemes and the like.

Edward Higginbottom, Hanwood

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