[Margaret Pilkington]

Yes....I felt sure that there would be some kind of government chicanery to account for some of the figures.
That said, our economy has done better than the doom mongers predicted when the it was seen that those who voted wanted to leave the EU.

The common agricultural policy and the fishing policies of the EU have meant farmers and fishermen have seen their livelihoods shrink....with fishermen having to throw back perfectly edible fish because EU rules mean they cannot legally sell this fish...so instead of feeding people(or even going into animal feed) it feeds the seagulls.
There are varieties of apples that used to be common on our market stall, but the EU clamped down on those too....so they have disappeared....if they cannot be sold then growers will not grow them.
It is more economical for farmers to let their fields out to wind farms than grow food in them.
This dismantling of our life styles and heritage has been going on for more than 4 decades....too long.....let us be OUT.....right out.

The French cherry pick the rules they will follow....and ignore the rest....and no action is taken against them.
Brits follow rules slavishly...