MPs don’t realise Whitehall officials have pushed the UK towards an “Oslo” deal where all defence policy will be ‘EU’ in spite of being told by all in Government that we are not part of the EU army project.

Science and tech officials of the MOD, along with the MOD’s International Strategy Forum, have pushed for UK approval of EU defence plans under advice from industry group ADS. They’re doing this because some cash is available via the European Investment Bank (UK owns a part of its funds anyway, at €40 billion).

The problem is that to qualify and continue to participate after Brexit, the UK must be a signatory to the European Defence Agency, EU defence procurement directives and even EU defence policy, which would all serve to rob an independent UK of its autonomy in defence.

The civil servants involved all know this and are doing it anyway.

They can be confident that MPs and the media don’t understand what’s going on. Neither do any uniformed officers in the MOD, who would be appalled.

Write to your MP if you value our Armed Forces because if you do not we will not have control of them soon.

Chris Gallacher, Redcar UKIP