MICHEL Barnier, the EU’s Brexit negotiator says that he sees the process as an opportunity to “teach the British people and others just what leaving the EU means”.

He continues to say that he saw it as his job to “educate” the UK about the price it will pay for leaving the EU (Oxford Mail, September 4). Isn’t it nice to know how much our ‘friends’ in Europe want us to stay and “teach us” by explaining “the extremely serious consequences of leaving the single market” which, he says, were not explained to the British people.

What he forgets is that, unlike the other European nations, the British public were not given the opportunity to vote on the Maastricht Treaty and I doubt it would have been acceptable knowing of its open border policy and the 14 per cent of the EU budget payable per year until 2020.

Considering that the EU accounts have never been certified, it would be based on guess work. The attitude of the EU is a complete reversal of the position of the French President Charles de Gaulle took when he said “Non, Non, Non” when the UK first applied for membership to the Common Market.

It would be interesting to know what contribution other EU countries contribute and how much ‘benefit’ each of them receives. Who knows, we may on leaving be able to get control of our once nationalised industries, institutions and transport and thereby keep control of prices. We have a lot to gain as we will be able to trade freely with the rest of the world.

EU nationals will be able to choose citizenship in the UK and pay UK taxes or apply for ‘work permits’ which may require visas and medical insurance. UK citizens living and working in the EU countries will have the same choice.

Our parliamentary MPs, regardless of party politics, should speak with one voice and uphold the referendum result.

VIM RODRIGO

Rivermead Road Oxford