Letter of the week: 'Get out of Europe before our ship truly sails'

I often feel I must be one of the luckiest people on the planet.
Hartlepool docks in 1947. Our writer believes joining the EEC in 1973 destroyed the British shipbuilding industry.Hartlepool docks in 1947. Our writer believes joining the EEC in 1973 destroyed the British shipbuilding industry.
Hartlepool docks in 1947. Our writer believes joining the EEC in 1973 destroyed the British shipbuilding industry.

Born in England at the end of the Second World War, I grew up in a wonderful environment when people were so amiable, helpful and genuinely good.

School years were not by any means my happiest, but apprenticeship, college and subsequent employment were the highlight of my life.

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I enjoyed visiting our Commonwealth countries in the Merchant Navy, appreciating what the UK had to offer them and what they had to offer us.

For some reason we abandoned years of good relations and trade to turn our backs on the Commonwealth, and joined the EEC.

Naturally our Commonwealth friends of many years felt let down and needed to trade with other countries, as the EEC had rules that meant the UK would be tied to EEC dictats, which put our Commonwealth friends at a trading disadvantage.

Last week's Letter of the week: Closing Hartlepool A19 crossings is a bridge too far for nowIn fact, it was the death knell of the UK, the Merchant Navy and the shipbuilding industry. You could even say the UK manufacturing industry, as much of our produce was shipped abroad.

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We are now more than ever regretting a decision made in 1973 to join Europe as a trading partner.

In June 2016 the British people finally realised that we were losing control of our nation.

We were being overruled by the European Court of Justice, and stupid rules regarding straight cucumbers and what ingredients can be used in chocolate.

Related content: What Hartlepool MP Mike Hill feels about Theresa May's Brexit dealEnough was enough, but in my opinion some of our MPs had a personal interest in remaining in the EU, because of pensions and personal gains.

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So they ignored the referendum and pursued a track to suit personal gain at the expense of democracy.

It now seems that our elected Parliamentary elite know what is best for us and that we (the electorate) got it wrong.

We may get a second chance to get it right.

Even fair-minded remainers would vote leave if they are the least bit democratic.

So where does that leave the government and Parliament?

Again they will be forced to deliver on something most of them do not want.

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Germany and mainland European industry is dependent on cheap gas from Russia and can be brought to heel at the turn of a tap.

There are more nations benefiting from EU funding than contributing.

Therefore the overall standard of living can only go down in the long-term.

We would be well out of it early, before our contributions escalate.

Geoff Bulmer,

Hart Village.