THE demise of Honda in the UK should surprise no one.

It is only a matter of time before Toyota and Nissan follow suit.

Why? Because the EU has negotiated a free trade agreement on car imports with Japan.

The absence of a tariff means there is no longer any need for them to produce Japanese cars in the UK.

The EU has done us no favours by this action.

This trade deal helps French and German car manufacturers by eliminating competition from the UK.

Car manufacture in this country currently represents 8 per cent of our manufacturing output.

Our car plants are among the most efficient and productive in Europe, but that counts for nothing with the EU.

No doubt the great British public will reward this action by buying French and German cars in greater numbers.

One of the Remain arguments was the increased bureaucracy associated with the trade in car parts across Europe in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Well,that scuppers that argument as we probably won’t have car manufacturing in this country as a result of the EU’s trade deal with Japan.

The whole basis of the Remain argument seems to me to be based on this bureaucracy issue, which is as yet untested and which many business people do not see a problem with.

Mrs May’s deal, which everybody agrees is worse than our present arrangements, will see us tied to the EU for years to come without a voice.

Her deal is only the start and we will endure years of wrangling — where is the certainty for business in that? It is clear from the EU’s stance to date that we will get no helping hand from them and a no deal must therefore be a better option.

If Japan can have a virtual free-trade deal with the EU, why can’t we?

We are already closely aligned to it in our laws, systems, etc? No, the EU has no intention of rewarding the UK for leaving and will make life as difficult as possible for us.

It is now a political issue and they don’t want to see any country leaving the EU and doing well as result.

If we leave with a no deal, we will have a very strong negotiating position as the EU’s largest customer — it makes business sense, but the politicians cannot see that. President Trump may be regarded as a fool, but in this context, we could do with someone like him.

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