SINCE the vote last Thursday, some are claiming that the older generation have betrayed the young by voting to leave the EU.

Perhaps I can gently remind them that many older people have made great sacrifices over the years in order to uphold our democracy.

And that’s what this vote was all about.

Far from pulling up the drawbridge, this decision will enable us to cast our net even wider around the world.

Interestingly, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand are already seeking trade talks.

And a Polish colleague of mine says his embassy will shortly be working on a bilateral agreement with the UK.

We are part of Europe geographically and our neighbours are indeed friends, allies and partners.

The Prime Minister, who has repeatedly and rightly said there will not be a second referendum, announced this week that the Government was now working on leaving the EU.

I hope this team consists of senior civil servants and politicians of all political persuasions.

The question of when Article 50 is triggered will fall on the new Prime Minister, whoever she or he may be.

Negotiating with the EU won’t be easy, but we will be doing so from a position of strength.

Already German business is calling on Chancellor Merkel to work constructively with the UK, a most valuable trading partner, and I am confident common sense will win the day.

No bureaucrat or politician must be allowed to undermine our common purpose for their own, private ends.

The will of the people must not be thwarted.

What matters most now is that all sides work together.

The future success of our great nation depends on it.