Sajid Javid's blunt warning to manufacturing that they've had three years to prepare for a Brexit taking Britain out of both the Customs Union and the Single Market may be music to the ears of Brexiteers.

For the rest of us – 70 per cent majority in Oxford – it feels like the kiss of death.

We always knew that the Conservatives preferred 'easy money' from the City and the banks over real-wealth creation from manufacturing.

How otherwise explain that Britain, which has had 45 years of Tory government since 1950, was the world's second-biggest vehicle manufacturer in the 1950s, but today ranks 14th?

To caricature Javid and Boris Johnson as wishful dreamers unfortunately tells only part of the story. These dreams can wreck working people's lives and, if Javid is let loose, several thousand of them could be in Cowley.

The point is that BMW, owner of Mini with a workforce creating billions for the local economy, has not been twiddling its thumbs (as Javid suggests).

First of all, they negotiated a special, now defunct, deal with Theresa May intended to compensate them for any losses they incurred from Brexit.

Secondly, as a back-up in case of a 'Let's-jump-off-the-cliff' Brexit, they started extending their facilities in Holland which could ultimately absorb the entire Cowley production.

But we are not there yet.

There is no evidence that BMW wants to cut the knot and still time to force the government to change its mind.

A rousing demonstration of workers and citizens of Oxford to make our feelings felt on January 31 would be a start.

Jonathan Saunders,

New Cross Road

Oxford