Have I got this right?

There was a woman on LBC the other day demonstrating how Tim Martin of Wetherspoon fame had managed to source cheaper alternative produce for his pubs from other parts of the world. This was seen as proof of the opportunities that exist beyond Brexit.

However, the woman failed to understand and acknowledge that Martin's acquisitions exist BECAUSE we are members of the EU and, through that membership and the trade deals that exist between the EU and other nations, he was able to bring in cheaper goods to his pubs.

If we leave without a deal, we default to WTO tariffs, which will mean that all of Martin's bargain buys will no longer be available at the same great rates that we enjoy as part of EU membership.

Of course, we are then free to negotiate with other countries to have our own individual trade deals. These usually take many years to complete, despite us being told otherwise. I'd like to know how the UK, population of around 66 million can get better trade deals with the rest of the world than the EU, with 27 member countries and a population of hundreds of millions. What can we offer that's better than the rest of Europe combined? Is it turning our economy into a low wage, hard work economy to be able to compete?

There's also the issues of tariffs, which some describe as inhibitive. If we decide to drop tariffs unilateraly many years after we've left and all trade deals are in place, how does Britain protect itself from cheap imports? I have friends who are farmers and they believe they'll be wiped out by us being to import cheaper meat.