READING Echo letters and comments it is very hard to understand why so many refuse to accept Brexit hard facts.

Read the facts, follow the reasoning, and try and make best judgements.

UK Brexit won the June 2016 referendum: 17.4 million voted yes, 16.1 million voted no.

But then the finer points, giving a more complete picture.

Scotland voted overwhelmingly against Brexit: 1 million for, 1.6 million against.

Northern Ireland voted overwhelmingly against Brexit: 350,000 in support, 440,000 votes against,

Brexiteers are now then saying it is all over. Stop moaning. This is all done and dusted. Soak it up. Get over it.

But no, no, no.

It is not over. These are now the first days of Brexit becoming real.

The Brexit ship has been assembled, in enormous controversy over four years, and has now been finally launched.

We now find out what we have done.

Scotland, as a first consequence, is overwhelmingly calling for independence from London dominated government.

Which begs the question how can any British government herald Brexit a champion, of free open referendum democracy, and in the same breath tell Scotland no you can't have a referendum?

And Northern Ireland. All NI parties including the DUP voted against the trade deal.

All of which adds to pressure for N.I. finding a way to join with the Republic, within the EU.

In short the evidence could hardly be clearer. In our move to leave the European Union we have ended up launching the break up of the United Kingdom.

We end up losing two unions.

Our free trade union with the rest of Europe.

Our centuries old union within our own country.

But there we go, with a bedazzling Captain Jolly Jack, and the rest of his dodgy Brexit crew, we are now out to sea aboard SS Gung Ho. Or SS Calamity. Or SS Xenophobia. Take your choice.

Tony Penning

Bournemouth