Last week we published a story about how Dorset’s economy would be 3.2% or £1.3bn smaller, equivalent to a loss of £978 per person, if Britain leaves the EU in a Customs Union, according to a new report.

Here's what readers thought.

My big problem with a customs union with Europe is the fact that you cant independently agree any trade deals with any other nations.

I will never agree with free movement of people allowing unskilled immigration.

Then there's the expensive deal agreed with Turkey to deal with immigrants. And Turkey trying to join the EU which will probably never happen but it's not impossible.

So I'm still in favour of Brexit for many reasons and will vote that way later this month. OpenWaterSwim

If only Brexit voters had spent some time looking into who was pulling the strings behind the curtain, we wouldn't be in this mess.

If a customs union is going to make everyone £1000 poorer each year, imagine how much poorer we would be with a hard Brexit no deal, loving on WTO scraps.

It's pretty clear Brexit pushing politicians have no idea, you only have to look at that cretin Farage on newsnight to see he doesn't even have basic knowledge of the WTO deals. Dr Mantin Toboggan

I can't really see how this is a truly independent study.

A brief look at their website states that they are an independent charity,funded by donations and grants.

Corporate donors include the Bank Of England, HM Treasury and various financial institutions. Becoming a corporate member gives you a say in guiding policy for institutions/governments.

Grants also play a part in NIESR, from government/government departments and also from the EU.

Doesn't sound quite so ' independent '. Baffled badger

I am assuming that this particular report does not support your own in-depth academic research and study. They are a charity and so you are quite at liberty to report them to the Charity Commission along with your evidence. Quince two

All research is funded by someone. What would qualify as 'independent' in your eyes Badger? It's usual for the independent label to be used if the study is funded without editorial control (by the funder) over results or how they are reported. Annsey

Easy to dismiss as fake news if it doesn't chime with your views, but this is the reality as predicted by the vast majority of economists and business leaders. Boobooweymouth