I AM not sure whether Chris Moncrieff believes anything he writes or does it to agitate the Echo’s more sensible readers.

It is clear that he is a Boris the Buffoon sycophant but for him to believe (Echo, June 12) that Johnson’s latest ‘leaked’ Brexit outburst was anything other than our idiotic Foreign Secretary raising his media profile in readiness for May’s inevitable departure is naïve.

The Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership is the latest to warn of the potentially dire consequences of Brexit for the traditional retail sector.

Some cock-eyed optimists will of course say that the future is rosy and bright and that critics like myself should remain silent while the economy sinks.

Jaguar have just announced that they are shifting production of their top selling Land rover Discovery from the UK to the EU just as many other businesses are now creating footholds in mainland Europe to protect themselves.

My daughter works in fashion and several of her London friends have recently been relocated to Rotterdam and neighbouring countries as part of the exodus.

Hundreds of small businesses are also planning to reduce their workforce before the end of 2018. But stay optimistic folks. Boris knows best.

Stephen Warren, Durham