BEFORE the 2016 referendum the press was full of stories about creeping bureaucracy from Brussels, unelected self-appointed officials making decisions affecting our way of life, corruption and failure to submit audited accounts. These points seem to have been conveniently forgotten and are never mentioned now.

These stories influenced many people to vote to leave the EU. If we had withheld all our payments to the EU in 2016 until these issues were addressed, a new financial agreement could have been agreed without affecting trade in any way.

It is insulting the electorate to say we didn't know what we were voting for. If the Remainers get their way and we stay in the EU, the bureaucracy will get worse and our payments to this protection racket will inevitably increase.

Anthony Clark

Kendal