Chancellor’s insistence that UK will not meet European standards will cost jobs

We are leaving the EU tonight – though nothing will be visibly different tomorrow morning, since we remain within the Customs Union and the Single Market until the end of the year. But like a divorce, it is not necessary to leave in ways which cause as much destruction and unhappiness as possible, just to vent the hatred that the extremist fringe feel towards Europe.

It is not necessary for us to destroy the market for 44 per cent of our exports, or destroy the car industry. It is therefore very concerning that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has said that Britain will not align with European standards, even though that’s necessary to retain access to the European market. He has admitted that there will be “an impact” on business – which is code for job losses and business collapses.

As one chief executive of an engineering company has said, this is doctrinaire and ideological; his firm is having to spend £750,000 from its £11 million turnover to retain the ability to trade with Europe, so he has no money to hire new staff or improve his products.

The owner of a chocolate company which exports to France and Germany called the Chancellor’s comments “frightening and stupid”. The Food and Drink Federation called it “the death knell” for frictionless trade with Europe.

The Government needs to stop pandering to the 0.15 per cent of the country who are right-wing zealots with Conservative party membership, and start acting in the interests of Britain, including the 62 per cent of Scots who voted to Remain.

PHIL TATE Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh

Today, Brexit Day, is an incredibly sad occasion. The loss of the many economic, social and environmental benefits membership of the largest single market in the world brings will leave us all the poorer in so many ways. Benefits associated with the free movement of goods, capital, services and people across the EU have been immense.

Our exit makes me angry as this is such a stupid and needless act of self-destruction, hitting the poorest hardest. It is a move I predict we will bitterly regret.

PRO-EU events being held today do, however, give us the chance to celebrate the benefits that membership has brought us – peace, stability and prosperity. The European flag will also still fly outside the Scottish Parliament.

PRO-EU campaigners like myself are now in the same position that those who campaigned for the UK to leave what was the EEC were in 47 years ago.

I would urge the EU to keep a light on for us, the fight continues and one day I am certain these efforts will be rewarded and we will return.

ALEX ORR Marchmont Road, Edinburgh I wish Brexit had never happened, but we need to make the best of it. Actually, many signs are positive, and should give hope for Scottish ‘No’ voters.

The UK jobless rate is at its lowest since 1974. Employment, at 33 million, is higher than ever.

The CBI reports the biggest surge in confidence on record among manufacturers and the IMF says Britain will be the fastest-growing G7 economy in Europe over the next two years.

None of these organisations predict post-brexit disaster, and while Scotland lags behind RUK in growth, we still follow the trends, so surely this is good news.

Not for First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, though, she will exploit every twist and turn of the negotiations to demand a referendum.

The big question is whether the Scottish Conservatives will.

I bet the rank and file attending the leadership hustings are mostly Leavers, as are 1.2 million Scots. Only 700,000 of them voted Scottish Conservative in December. If another 200,000 Scots Leavers voted Conservative in 2021 it could make them the largest Holyrood party.

That would stop Scexit in its tracks. Surely their new leader should be highlighting the positives of Brexit and his policies to exploit it?

ALLAN SUTHERLAND Willow Row, Stonehaven