Dear George,

Michael Gove, Michael Howard and Boris Johnson are arguing, against you, for Brexit on solid intellectual grounds concerning the EU's curtailment of your Parliament's democratic sovereignty. Even though our democracy was indeed crushed last summer by the EU, I happen to disagree with them.

However, I am intrigued that you seem not to realise that by mocking me in that same Parliament you reinforced their already strong case for Brexit. My failure as finance minister was due to the ironclad determination of an authoritarian EU to continue with its failed Greek economic programme.

My ministry's Policy Programme for Greece, which Brussels pushed aside, I had put together with input from economic experts including Lord Lamont and [American economist] Jeff Sachs. I trust that, with hindsight, you would not have taken that cheap shot. It was one that the 'Stay' campaign can ill afford.