I AM writing this to my European friends in anger to try and explain why we Brits have turned our back on Europe.

You have probably been watching Sky news or CNN about the impending disaster which I fear is going to happen in the UK.

Well, I can tell you it is far worse here than you see on TV.

A large proportion of the no vote came from the poorer areas of the UK. It seems that many of these votes were a protest, not about the EU but Conservative government policies.

The amount of misinformation was scandalous but the Brexit guys were saying that it is a vote for hope for prosperity and democracy.

It is ironic that those poorer areas were the greatest recipients of EU funding. It reminds me of a saying we have: it’s like turkeys voting for Christmas.

My own feeling was that although there are many faults with the EU, our greater security, prosperity through the single market, better working conditions, environmental legislation away above anything the UK would propose and many other conditions has been a great positive for the people of the UK.

There are certain things about Europe (Brussels) which annoy me. The Empire building of the Brussels elite. This was shown on Friday when Jean Claude Juncker came out and said that we effectively would be punished in our outgoing negotiations. He is right, but it was not for him to say, he is a transient employee. It was for the council of ministers or Merkel, Hollande etc to make those remarks, and although unpalatable, we would accept the inevitability of the situation.

But that is only a minor detail, although a German commentator did say on this subject that Juncker needs to watch his back, so this referendum will make a difference in Europe, but I am afraid it is too late for us.

After just emerging from a 2008 recession, it looks like we are now in for another, probably starting in the spring of next year and lasting, well, three years going down and seven or eight years coming out of it.

We can probably say goodbye to Scotland and Northern Ireland, which is a major security worry. I hope there will not be any civil unrest, but I do think with the relatively even split of the country, it will certainly affect formerly close relationships. I feel the older generation have removed so many opportunities from the young, when they themselves have done on average quite well out of Europe.

I just had to write this to get it off my chest, as I have never felt like I am feeling at present.

Please be gentle with us when we leave, as I have four dogs, two children and a wife to look after.

ALISTAIR EWING, Ramsbury