Why Brexit and severing EU links diminishes Britain – Yorkshire Post Letters

COULD Alexander Stafford, MP for Rother Valley, explain how leaving the EU will produce “dividends that will turbo-charge our economy” (The Yorkshire Post, July 17)?

After four years of searching, I have still not seen any evidence that severing links with our major trading partner is going to be good for British business and jobs. Plenty of wishful thinking, like Mr Stafford presents, but 
no credible explanation or evidence.

Recent evidence suggests we will be spending £700 million on new border controls and the extra red tape will cost UK exporters £7bn – every year.

Again, I invite your columnist to explain how – especially if we crash out of the EU completely in December with no new arrangements in place – that will “create many high-quality British jobs”. Proof or at least a convincing argument, please Mr Stafford, not just more wishful thinking.

To mitigate this, groups such as Leeds for Europe and the national European Movement UK want the Government to secure an EU deal that builds upon – rather than undermines – our virus recovery efforts. One that preserves access to European markets and reflects values the British people share with our immediate neighbours.

From: James Bovington, Church Grove, Horsforth, Leeds.

ALEXANDER Stafford combines enthusiasm for ending the UK-EU transition period with an attack on Scottish nationalism.

He maintains that all four nations of the UK will benefit from Brexit, yet misses the point that an excellent reason for extending the transition period is that the elected parliaments of the other three UK nations have passed resolutions requesting this. This counts for nothing with the ‘we know best’ Brexit brigade.

The parliaments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast are not sovereign but neither are Scotland and Northern Ireland regions of Greater England. Both countries voted massively to remain in the EU, yet Boris Johnson dismisses the expressed will of their parliaments. No wonder many Scots feel that they would be better off as entirely self-governing.

In urging Scots to reject independence to stay in the UK single market, Mr Stafford makes a good case for the whole of the UK to remain in the EU single market.

To do so would also avoid justification for an imminent second independence vote.

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