Britain should walk away from these pointless Brexit talks and seize opportunities elsewhere

SIR – We run companies that manufacture hi-tech products in northern England and ship them around the world. Collectively, our export-led businesses employ thousands of people.

Now more than ever we need certainty. And certainty means leaving with no deal on March 29, with no delay. Employers cannot afford to bear the uncertainty created by month after month of negotiations that will almost inevitably lead to a bad deal. A bad deal will leave us shackled to Europe’s dubious mix of rank protectionism and never-ending red tape.

Manufacturing employs 350,000 people in almost 15,000 companies in the North-west alone. With some 90 per cent of global economic growth set to come from outside the EU in the coming years, the future of manufacturing jobs depends on our unhindered access to high-growth developing countries.

Countries are queuing up to do trade deals with Britain. Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, has already signed landmark pacts with markets across Asia, South America and Africa. Many more are set to follow. Holding up this process by failing to honour Article 50 would be economic suicide.

Using the threat of no-deal as an excuse to delay Brexit any further is disingenuous in the extreme, and does a terrible disservice to Britons whose livelihoods depend on manufacturing exports. David Millar

Managing Director, Heap and Partners Tim Stokes

Managing Director, Tension Control Bolts Ltd James Blackhall

Managing Director, Blackhall Engineering Ltd and four others; see telegraph.co.uk

SIR – Your front-page headline yesterday said that the public is “swinging” towards a no-deal Brexit – but this is what a decisive number of us voted for three years ago.

The referendum choice was Leave or Remain; the concept of a “deal” was dreamt up by Remainers trying to wriggle out of honouring the vote.

I’ve waited for 30 years to leave the unelected and corrupt EU. I still have my fingers crossed.

Dr Brian Savory Taunton, Somerset

SIR – Given Michel Barnier’s latest show of obduracy, perhaps somebody would remind me of precisely what compromises the EU has made during these so-called negotiations.

Given the EU’S total refusal to help Theresa May find a way of persuading MPS to back her deal, what are the chances it would allow Britain to leave once it held the whip hand in the event of Mrs May’s deal being accepted?

MPS should sign up to a no-deal exit. I predict that the EU negotiators would soon invite Britain back to the negotiating table for meaningful talks.

Peter Higgins West Wickham, Kent

SIR – Britain must leave the EU on March 29: 17.4 million people voted for this in the referendum, and that is what must be delivered. Theresa May’s “deal” is disastrous and any delay to Brexit would be unacceptable. A no-deal exit will leave us free to run our country as we want.

On March 30, Mrs May must resign. We need a stronger captain at the helm and ministers with the skills and backbone to extricate us from the mess we are in.

Anthony Fernau Bexhill-on-sea

SIR – I have actively followed politics for over 50 years. In the past I have been perhaps unfairly dismissive of younger generations for their lack of curiosity and involvement. Yet now I feel as alienated as they do. The governing elite, and the opposition, seem arrogant and remote.

When a young person these days tells me that no one up there is listening, my response is: “Yes, you’re right.” Where is this leading?

Alan Swift Bristol