Of course trade only relationship would be an option. It would be the logical consequence of leaving the EU. Trade would continue. The only alternative would be no trade which has probably not occured since the ice age. It would not have to be spelt out as an option. Nor would our relationship need to be formal though associate-status, which would mean voluntary shadowing of some policies could be a plus. The only main thing we`d need to get across is that our politicians should not ever again be able to use the phoney spectre of a "trade war" or other such sanctions as a means of getting us to blindly comply with the EU - whether we are in or out. Trade will never be extinguished and if the EU ever has a protectionist paddy, we should stand up to them and they will lose. You are right Britannist that the way a referendum would bepresented by the lib-lab-con parties would be leave the EU and Britain would collapse. But a referendum would still be preferable to none I feel.
On the question of voting Lib Dem, my initial thoughts are that they will not form the govt and a larger vote share for them at present will be viewed as an endorsement of their flagship policies ; going green, local income tax, being neither tory nor labour etc. If they give the issue of giving the people a choice on the EU equal significance, and don`t brush the EU under the carpet come election time, then I might change my mind.
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Tom Collier
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