Not pessimistic about trading

I do not share the pessimistic views of Stephen Psallidas

(Letters February 2) regarding the global trading aspirations of the UK after Brexit.

The latest annual trading figures show that in 2017 the UK had a trade deficit with the EU of £67bn but a trade surplus of £41bn with non-EU countries. Some 44% of UK exports in goods and services went to other EU countries (£274bn out of £616bn) and 56% went to non-EU countries.

The EU may have a population ‘nearly 10 times that of the UK’ but the UK predominately trades with less than half of member states, our main markets being Germany, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland and Italy.

Taking back control of our laws, borders and money from the EU, does not mean that we can’t have a good trading relationship with Europe after Brexit. A comprehensive, freetrade agreement is in the interests of both the EU and the UK, and businesses and consumers just want both parties to get on with