• MICHAEL Romberg is right: we are part of Europe (Letters, August 8). But Europe is a continent, not a country.

Each country has its own culture, history, economy, industries, and needs and to try to create one economy, one standard, etc, ultimately only means that each member state has to compromise. And the result is not good for any of them.

And the vast majority of people who voted leave, myself included, knew exactly what we were voting for: no customs union; no single market; complete independence to arrange our own trade deals and set our own tariffs; and support our own businesses.

Leave voters do not want a European army, taxation (including VAT) set by Brussels, or any other harmonised policies or strategies. While co-operation with other European countries on things like security and defence is essential, harmonisation is not.

And as far as a country having to vote again in an EU-related referendum to get the “right” vote, that did happen – in Ireland.

The EU rulers are trying very hard to stop Britain from leaving with any sort of reasonable deal because they don’t want to set a precedent for other countries whose populations are fed up with this bureaucratic, corrupt and protectionist organisation.

MARCIA MACLEOD
Dennington Park Road, NW6