EU citizens who have already settled in Britain must be made to feel welcome and valued

SIR – Leaving the European Union will bring many changes, most likely including changes to immigration and free movement rules.

There is anxiety for the three million EU citizens who have made their homes in the UK, and the 1.2 million British citizens living in other EU countries. The Prime Minister’s statement that there would be “no immediate changes” to their status will have been less than fully reassuring.

This is also a vital concern for many British businesses and public services employing EU nationals, who do not want retrospective disruption to their workforce at a time of uncertainty.

We would urge the Government, opposition parties and every candidate standing to be the next Conservative Party leader – and hence Prime Minister – to make an unequivocal statement that EU migrants currently living in the UK are welcome here, and that changes would apply only to new migrants. A clear commitment to protect the status of EU migrants was made by the official Vote Leave campaign – and it must be honoured.

By adopting this policy, the UK puts itself in a strong position to seek a reciprocal commitment from other EU members that EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in other EU countries should be able to continue to live and work in those countries. We believe there are principled, practical and legal reasons why this would be the only sensible and decent policy to pursue. Research also shows a strong consensus across Remain and Leave voters in support of this approach.

It would also send a clear statement to the extreme minority – who appear to believe they have licence to attack and harass migrants – that the British public finds their views repugnant and unwelcome in our society. Daniel Hannan MEP (Con) Gisela Stuart MP (Lab) Douglas Carswell MP (Ukip) Yvette Cooper MP (Lab) Simon Walker Director, Institute of Directors Frances O’Grady General Secretary, TUC and 27 others: see telegraph.co.uk SIR – Given that the referendum result is not legally binding, and that the vast majority of MPs voted to remain, I am disappointed that they have all rolled over and accepted the result without even the hint of a fight. Who now speaks for the 48 per cent of the population who want to remain? Alison House El Carmolí, Murcia, Spain SIR – I am chilled by the calls for a second referendum. Does the Remain camp hope to carry out referendums until the “right” result is achieved?

F A Hayek, the economist and philosopher, observed of the founders of socialism that they proposed to “treat as cattle” anyone who stood against their dogma. Those demanding a second referendum appear to want to do the same to the British masses.

Do we think it serves our children’s future well to treat the “inconvenient majority” with such disdain? Adrian Bignell Nettlebed, Oxfordshire SIR – The FTSE has been pretty strong; exchange rates are more than acceptable; a good number of major world economies have declared their interest in trading agreements; and there no longer seems to be a threat of the City moving to Frankfurt.

In addition, David Cameron has resigned and will not be replaced by George Osborne; the EU version of democracy will be no more; and we can spend our money how we want.

What is the matter with some people? Many of the threats of doom have been revealed as pure hokum. Les Arnott Sheffield, South Yorkshire SIR – I am amazed that Tony Blair (Comment, July 1) seems to be offering his services for the forthcoming negotiations with the EU.

He calls for “serious statesmanship” – a quality lacking in him, as shown by his failure to deliver any solutions as special envoy of the Middle East Quartet.

It would also surprise me if Mr Blair, in view of his personal interests, was able to spare the time that these negotiations require. David J Dodd Gramont, Tarn-et-Garonne, France SIR – Given that he has over 17 years’ experience of working on the inside of the EU operation, it would be a travesty if Nigel Farage was not included in one of the Brexit committees. Gerald Penney Teignmouth, Devon