This evening, I will be discussing Brexit at a conference in Hamburg. It is an ideal place to make the case, as – from the days of the Hanseatic League to its zenith as the second-largest port in Europe after London in the 19 th century – Hamburg has always been an outward-looking, independent-minded city, built upon free trade. This outlook, and the emphasis on reciprocal free trade, are precisely what Brexit is about.

My principal message is simple: Brexit is going to happen. Those still in denial must take note and understand the reality of the situation.

More people voted to leave the EU than have ever voted for any issue or political party. Article 50 was triggered on 29th March, after 494 MPs voted for it in the House of Commons.

The automatic legal effect of this is that at midnight on 29th March 2019, the EU treaties in their entirety will cease to apply to the UK, with no post-exit obligations on the UK.

Since then, we have had a General Election in which 85 per cent of the votes cast were for parties advocating leaving the Single Market, the Customs Union and the remit of the European Court of Justice.