Dear Friends,
You will, no doubt, have heard the result of our referendum. So, with feelings that are mixed, and tinged with sadness, I have to tell you now that the United Kingdom has withdrawn from the European Union.
There was a time when we were pleased to join The Common Market, once others had set the scheme in motion. However we are aware now that a previous generation of Britons were hoodwinked, thinking that they had opted to join a trading area, and nothing more. The EU is a dream that we can no longer afford.
We are not withdrawing from Europe; we love and respect our European neighbours. We have no desire whatsoever to rule you. For centuries in some cases we have respected your independence, your sovereignty and your contribution to trade and to civilised life. We have shared friendships that will endure.
We are simply withdrawing from an organisation that seeks by non-democratic means to control democracies and which fails to account for its use of our money.
Should you wish to continue in a relationship with us that acknowledges our independent sovereignties you might like to contact the head of the Commonwealth whose principal office is just across the park.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
David Cameron
p.s. Look at a map, look at the heart of Europe: a small country with a population the size of London, four official languages and a currency that has been climbing against the pound for the last one hundred years. It’s at the heart of Europe but still manages its own affaires independently, and more democratically than most.