When Britain leaves the EU, we can be confident of being able to continue trading with our European neighbours, hence there is no question of threats to the 3 million UK jobs that are associated with exports to the EU.

We consistently buy more from EU countries than we sell them so it would not be in their interests to disrupt this trade – they will still want to sell us their wine and cars. UKIP’s preferred arrangement is for our EU trade to be conducted under bilateral agreements, similar to the agreements that the EU has reached with Switzerland and many other non-EU countries (note 1).

Our release from the EU’s common external tariffs will also enable us to strengthen our trade relationships with countries outside the EU such as the countries of the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA), the Far East and our natural trading partners in the Commonwealth who share our language and business methods. At the same time we shall regain our independent seat in the World Trade Organisation which we shall use to counter any trade restrictions from the EU and to press for further expansion of global free trade. More open trade will also do far more to help less developed countries than any amount of aid or debt forgiveness.

There will also be a shared interest in co-operation with our EU neighbours over other areas of common concern. These include protection of the environment, and mutual arrangements for residence rights for their nationals who live in Britain and vice versa. Britain does not need to be in the EU in order to trade and co-operate with it. We are the 4th largest world economy with massive trade and investment links worldwide. Freed from the EU straitjacket, an independent Britain will be in a strong position to develop these links further.