I’m afraid Richard Hosking, I?remain happy with Brexit vote, Letters, January 5, does not fill me with much optimism for the future. I can agree with him that there are many flaws with the EU as it stands and fundamental reforms are required.

However, his hypothesis that all the UK need do is break from its EU shackles and hey-presto we will become a world trading and economic power does not bear much scrutiny.

He talks about a bureaucracy with a democratic and audit deficit – I agree – but he could just as easily be talking about Defra, a Government department born and bred in the UK and run by a succession of hapless ministers.

He blames the EU for our economic decline and yet over the same 40 years we have seen other European nations prosper, notably Germany, even without the help of North Sea oil revenues or the legacy of empire. Perhaps he should look closer to home.

Successive UK governments have been driven by vested interests and short-termism to the point where we rely on the avarice of the City and the folly of house price inflation as our economic drivers.

Where are our great manufacturing industries which are poised to straddle the world? More likely foreign-owned businesses looking for a trading advantage with cheap labour and a depressed pound.

I too have faith in the people of the UK – faith they will be able to see through the illusion of a Government working for them rather than their narrow political party. I wouldn’t trust the present bunch to run a bath let alone post-Brexit Britain.

At the moment it doesn’t feel like a cliff edge, more like a pool of quicksand and we are slowly sinking into the mire of mediocrity. The more we have blamed the EU for our woes the less we have scrutinised those who should be leading us.

If Brexit means a wake-up call and a rejection of the politics of the last 50 years or so then maybe we will have something to look forward to.

Julian Brazil

East Prawle