EVERY citizen of the European Union has the right of free movement. This means that anyone can move to another member country, set up home there and find employment without restriction or undue formality.

State pensions can still be drawn in the new country, indexed against inflation at the rate decided by the issuing country.

The European Health Insurance Card, which any of us haae a right to obtain, allows us to receive emergency health treatment anywhere in the union and there is similar harmonisation and reciprocity relating to a host of other issues, for example benefits and professional qualifications.

This state of affairs simply did not exist prior to UK entry into the EU. I can vouch for this, having lived and worked in Germany on a number of occasions and having close relatives in Scandinavia.

During a stay on the continent in 1972 together with my family, just prior to UK entry into the EU, I was obliged to purchase expensive private health insurance to cover the five of us and I was only allowed to work there because of a professional exchange arrangement.

At present British young people have unlimited opportunity to travel across Europe, to study, settle or work where they wish and as long as they need. There are generous funding arrangements of all kinds available to young people, for example Erasmus grants to students enabling them to study in another EU country.

Our son recently completed a course of study, provided free of charge by a Swedish University under a similar European Union scheme.

No wonder, then, that in the 2016 referendum a majority of younger people voted to remain in the EU.

They could see where their future lies - in a wider community of countries, where all of us can gain experience and broader understanding of others, travelling and working freely without restrictions and barriers.

If Britain now leaves the EU we shall be denying our future citizens opportunities that those in the remaining 27 member countries will continue to exploit and enjoy. Our economic prosperity and standing in the world will suffer accordingly.

Peter D. Leeming

Kendal