Dear Boris

Dear Boris,

We spoke at your party congress in Manchester. We both walked in together as you were being taunted and pelted by angry communists. They were agitated and angry at the British election results that rewarded David Cameron's strong track record on reform with an absolute majority.

Today the British are going to the polls again. Of course it is for the British and the British alone to vote Leave or Remain. You do not need pedantic advice from the continent. I am curious which camp will prevail, and if the polls will prove to be utterly mistaken once again.

I must admit I understand a lot of the arguments the Leave camp puts forward. The free movement of persons that often resembles social security tourism. The way in which Merkel has fuelled the asylum crisis that was totally unacceptable. I recognize your arguments: own solutions for own problems, sovereignty and independence.

Having said that I do hope you will remain within the EU. Because some challenges need to be tackled together.  Together we can guarantee more common sense, less EU interference and lower taxes. Those are the strong reforms that you promote in the UK and that we promote in Flanders. They are reforms that the EU desperately needs.

But even if the British vote to leave, we must continue cooperating together. A Brexit will not make the Channel any wider, nor will it make the British isles float any further away. The UK is our 4th most important trading partner today, and tens of thousands of jobs are in the balance. They are jobs that we cannot afford to lose.

Together with Lord Chancellor Michael Gove you have led the #Brexit campaign. If your campaign loses, we hope you will be able to unite the other Brexiteers in your party with the Remain voters. Whatever happens we shall meet again at the start of October at your party congress in Birmingham.  And when that happens, let’s get together for a beer.

Best regards,

Sander.