THE broad outlines of a free-trade agreement between the UK and Australia should be viewed in context. It is the UK’s first post-Brexit trade agreement to be negotiated from scratch, and the government has long argued that the ability to strike its own deals around the world is one of the big benefits of leaving the EU.

However, on the government’s own figures it is worth saying that trade deal is estimated to add 0.02% to UK GDP in 15 years’ time, while the government’s own estimates of leaving EU single market will reduce UK GDP by 4% over same period of time. We will need the equivalent of 200 Australias to offset the impact of leaving the world’s largest single market.

Alex Orr
Edinburgh

READ MORE: Liz Truss tells farmers to 'stop being defensive' about Australia deal

I DON’T know what our Scottish farmers are worried about regarding the Australia deal. The Tories have given “promises of safeguards” for heaven’s sake. You can take that to the bank. I mean, a few Tory vows and promises were all they needed during the independence and Brexit votes, General and Scottish elections. What’s changed?

Rory Bulloch
Glasgow