Madam,

Our politicians should be more upbeat and confident when entering the discussions with the EU concerning Brexit, as we have the stronger bargaining position.

The EU in 2014 accounted for 44.6 per cent of UK exports of good and services and a staggering 53,2 per cent of UK imports of goods and services. This means that, in relative terms, we are a much more important customer to the EU than they are to us. Strong economic growth in many developing countries outside the EU has resulted in non-EU economies growing in importance to UK trade since 1999 (source World Bank and Office for National Statistics).

The EU should want the UK to succeed in the future because, apart from France, we are the only country in Europe to have its own nuclear deterrent and American president-elect Donald Trump has said he would like the USA to contribute a lower proportion of European defence costs. This is in the light of Russian aggression in the Ukraine and Syria.

The apparently “one-policy” Scottish National party seems to prefer its links to Europe more than with the rest of the UK. They should be reminded that, in 2013, Scotland sold £50.5bn in goods and services to the rest of the UK and only £21.3bn in goods and services to the rest of the world (source Scottish Government own figures).

Yours etc

Peter Wilson

Llithfaen

Pwllheli.