Commonwealth trade

SIR – Britain faces a stark choice between two paths. One path leads to stasis, where the express will of the people is delayed indefinitely, and the nation lacks the tools of statecraft to forge a partnership with Europe outside the European Union and cannot pursue new partnerships with our traditional and cultural allies.

Another path leads to respect for democracy, as expressed on June 23 2016, building the foundation of a different globalisation.

Those deciding the fate of the draft Withdrawal Agreement, should consider this alternative:

1. Vote against the Withdrawal Agreement and support the Supercanada option, which has already been endorsed by Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council.

2. Establish a successor free-trade agreement to Ceta (between Canada and the EU) so that a new Canada-uk treaty could be implemented immediately upon the conclusion of the Article 50 process.

3. Begin quadrilateral negotiations between Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand to forge a new Canzuk treaty.

4. Introduce a fairer immigration policy with regard to Commonwealth nations and end the unfair preference towards EU citizens.

5. Initiate a strategy for accession of Commonwealth nations into a larger free-trade area – one with potential to include one third of the world’s population and a combined GDP that will reach $13 trillion by 2020.

Britain has a potentially great global future. It must shake off the millstone of the “declinism” of its political class and create an optimistic, prosperous 21st-century nation. Our five-point plan is a way forward for post-brexit Britain.

We implore MPS to vote down the proposed draft Withdrawal Agreement and instead confirm Britain on a path of independence and opportunity.