SIR – It must surely be a step in the right direction to read that Britain’s exports to countries beyond Europe have surged to an all-time high.

Official figures have showed UK firms sold £13.2 billion of goods to non-EU countries in July 2012, up 11 per cent on the previous month.

When Britain first started courting Europe, it turned its back on the 54 countries of the Commonwealth, with a population of more than a billion people.

We need to start trading more with such countries who have the Queen as head of state.

European countries such as Norway who are not EU members still trade with EU countries, so why can’t we do the same?

Being tied to the EU is like having a noose around our necks with our hands tied.

We need to fall in love again with the Commonwealth and also seek greater trade with booming counties such as India, China and Brazil.

G B DIPPER

Leominster