I visited London yesterday; caught the 5.58am train from Preston and arrived at Euston for 8.16.

At Tapas Brindisa restaurant I was served Spanish food by Spanish people.  At Boggi Milano I bought Italian clothes from Italian people and at The French Comte I bought French cheese and pork from French people.

In the evening I returned to my small town in Lancashire where the people voted by the majority for Brexit.  It had been Lytham Club Day where local people displayed their civic pride by trundling through the streets on slow driven floats celebrating this boys’ club or that church group.  It was a million times remove from the cosmopolitan vibrancy of the capital city.  The locals in Lancashire may feel that their way of life is threatened by the EU and the freedom of movement of people, the people of London have embraced it and it is a greater city for it.

Brexit might mean I can no longer buy outstanding Italian clothes, taste exotic French cheeses and eat Jamon Iberico for breakfast in my own country but as long as the floats still trundle then we shall forever have our England.