LETTERS: 'Brexit in simple speak'

Our membership of the EU, built up over 40-plus years, is immensely complex but let’s look at just one aspect: trade.

All members of the EU customs union, including the UK at present, can trade with each other without tariffs, taxes or duties.

We can also trade with about 60 other countries on favourable terms negotiated by the EU.

In order to protect our industries from unfair competition from ‘third’ countries like China, most goods we buy from those countries attract an import duty, designed to make them more expensive than those produced at home.

If we leave the EU we will become a ‘third’ country. We could cut import duties to make goods from outside the EU cheaper. However, anything we sell to the EU and any other countries would bear import duty in those countries - up to 50 per cent in some cases - making our goods uncompetitive and damaging or even destroying our industries.

We may, over the years, be able to negotiate trade deals with the EU and those 60 other countries but their existing agreements (‘most favoured nation status’) mean we will not be able to negotiate anything better than we have already.

That’s just trade. There are many other aspects that should be considered.

It’s obvious now that Article 50 was triggered with no clear plan. We should seek an extension beyond March 29 so we can work out exactly what we’re trying to achieve.

Anthony Day,

Lastingham Terrace, York

PM should demand the EU say ‘oui, oui’

IT is now time for Theresa May to let the EU know, without any doubt, that the Brits are a true Bulldog breed. She should go quickly back to Brussels and state categorically that it’s time they say ‘Oui, oui’ and not ‘Non, non’ or they can stuff their EU.

Mary Morton,

Hob Moor Drive,

Holgate, York

Driven to distraction over Brexit

Brexit is just a debacle.

As a regular visitor to Southern Ireland I thought it prudent, with a couple of months to go before Brexit comes into force, to make sure my motoring insurance and driving licence documentation would continue to be valid there.

Contacting my insurance company, Aviva, I was informed that at this time, with only two months to go before Brexit kicks in, they hadn’t the foggiest idea what was going to happen.

Asking at the Post Office if I required an international driving licence, again they couldn’t offer any advice at this time.

What a mess.

D M Deamer,

Penleys Grove Street,

Monkgate, York

We need Help! to solve political issues

LATE January 2019 sees the 50th anniversary of the last time The Beatles played together live as a group, on the rooftop of their Apple building.

To mark this event, and in the light of political developments that may happen very soon, at the end of a Long And Winding Road, do we need Help! to Get Back (to where we once belonged)?

David Lewis,

Church End,

Cawood