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Annul the referendum

IN THE run up to the recent General Election we saw debates on many issues with one of the more important being our economy.

Essentially the electorate was presented with two different alternatives, Keynesianism and Monetarism, which have different goals and outcomes and different measures of success.

For example, do we believe in maintaining and funding public services and jobs or do we believe in small Government and less borrowing?

Or do we believe the way forward is to control public spending through austerity or do we believe that the economy should be stimulated by public investment and spending?

Whatever side of that argument each of us is on, much is dependent upon opinion, with neither side being right or wrong.

If we contrast this to last year’s referendum on our EU membership and, indeed, the ongoing debate on the issue, we find a very different situation as one side of the debate, the Leave campaign, were dishonest on an ‘industrial scale’ (John Major’s words, not mine).

For example, the Leave campaign told us that the EU was a corrupt organisation which had never had its accounts signed off.

A simple Google search reveals this to be a lie. The EU’s accounts have in fact been signed off every year since its inception.

On a more local basis, the Leave campaign told us the EU was responsible for the closure of the rail works here in Swindon. Again, a little online research reveals that this is also a lie.

Our rail works were closed by the government of the time (the railways were still publicly owned) as there was not enough work to keep both the works here in Swindon and also in Derby open. They chose to keep Derby open.

There are numerous other examples of similar dishonesty and deceit by the Leave campaign.

What is also noticeable is that when confronted with this dishonesty the Leave campaign hardly ever bother to deny that they were dishonest. Instead, they were more likely to deliberately attempt to conflate warning of risk by the Remain campaign with their deceit and dishonesty or to twist the words of Remain campaigners out of all recognition.

The prime example of this later tactic being the claim that David Cameron said World War Three would start if we left. He said no such thing, and it was in fact made up by prominent leave campaigner, Boris Johnson.

In such circumstances, coupled with the fact that despite repeatedly being challenged to do so, the Leave campaign failed to come with a plan for what they wanted to happen, the British people cannot possibly have known what they were voting for.

They were effectively sold a lie by the Leave campaign, who blamed the EU for everything and anything.

In fact, the Leave campaign would blame the EU had they burnt their toast at breakfast time.

Nobody is denying that there are serious problems in our society, but to lay the blame for those problems at the wrong door, in the case of the Leave Campaign the EU, will not solve anything.

These are the reasons why the result of that referendum has not and never will be accepted by a large part of our population. Neither the actions of the Leave campaign or the result of the referendum were democratic.

Our Article 50 notification to the EU should be withdrawn, the result of the referendum annulled, and a public inquiry into the activities of the Leave campaign should be held.

ADAM POOLE, Savill Crescent, Wroughton

Bus route problem

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed a tour of the Railway Village led by Daniel Rose at the Swindon Civic Day recently.

It was, however, spoilt by the incessant speed, rumble and fumes from passing buses which seem to have frequencies at every minute or so through this heritage area, although in reality it was probably more like two or three minute intervals.

Since the privatisation of Thamesdown Transport, Stagecoach now seems to mirror the Thamesdown Bus Passenger Services, in a quaint way that would have delighted old Noah.

On the corner of Bristol Street I witnessed not one, not two, not three but four buses seeking to squeeze by on the corner.

Even rural services to Cricklade, Wootton Bassett and all points beyond seem also be routed this way and then join battle for the limited road space.

The buses dive into the village proper using the Mechanics Institute as a kind of ‘central traffic island’ and entirely bypass Faringdon Road and Park Lane.

In the whole hour I was in the village, I did not see one bus stop, one passenger alight, or one passenger get on.

While, of course, it is vital to have a vibrant and comprehensive public transport service, it seems to be a given that almost every bus going anywhere in Swindon is routed into Emlyn Square then along London Street, Bristol Street and Church Place before rejoining the main passenger bus routes.

I have no clue as to what the noise and especially the vibration is doing to the delicate footings of these heritage buildings but it can’t be any good.

If readers think I’m exaggerating here, do take a look. Just stand on the pavement as I did. When Daniel Rose first mentioned it, I thought he was exaggerating.

It seems David Renard was expected later on Saturday to participate in Swindon’s Civic Day. I hope he, like me, was surprised and, like me, somewhat disappointed.

However, unlike me, he can do something about it.

JOHN STOOKE, Haydon End, Swindon

The sounds of summer

WELL, what a good few days of summer sunshine we have had! Too hot for me I am afraid but I like to see people enjoying it.

The children scream with delight ‘expressing themselves’ due to the fact that “It’s hot and so and so has thrown cold water on me and knocked my ice cream on to the grass.”

People open their windows and doors, switch on the hi-fi and then sit outside.

They drive with car windows open, radio on, entertaining everyone at the roadside with strange choices of ‘music’ or ‘rap’ and, in the meantime, trying to listen to the possibility of emergency vehicles closing fast.

The tattoos and body piercings are shown off, large bellies protrude over ill-fitting shorts, people’s muscular arms with just a trace of fat show traces of two colours, brown and white, where generally, one colour is the norm.

Certainly summer brings out the interesting bits in people and, my word, there are some ‘interesting bits’ to be seen.

My wife was interested in buying a hot-tub and we talked to the salesman who told us: ‘You have a 14-day, cooling off period’. If it takes that long to cool off, what’s the point?

Perhaps I am getting too philosophical in my old age. I often ask myself: “Why am I here?” That usually happens when I am at the top of the stairs. There, I’ve done it again, caught my tongue in my cheek. Enjoy the sun!

CHRIS GLEED, Proud Close, Purton

Litter could raise cash

I FIND it interesting that yet again the council are trying to introduce another new measure targeting a minority group.

I clean up after my dogs anyway so it has no effect on me, but I fail to understand why they don’t enforce the by-law regarding fines for those who litter, which is at least as much of an issue in the area covered by SBC, if not more so.

I’m guessing it’s because they are afraid to tackle the huge issue or even recognise it as an issue.

We see volunteers cleaning litter from areas in and around SBC, as SBC are incapable of doing this, only for vast amounts of litter to be dumped in the same areas yet again.

I wonder if the parish councils will be allowed to either enforce the current by-law, or pass their own so that those who drop litter can have on-the-spot fines issued against them.

I guarantee, it would be a bigger cash generator than fining irresponsible dog owners who don’t clean up after their animals.

MATHEW KOELZ, Bradenham Road, Swindon

Kiosks are adverts

THE managing director of Infocus Public Networks Derek Parkin scrapes the barrel of emotional sophistry in which he uses a not so subtle, tricky, superficially plausible, but generally fallacious method of reasoning to justify putting up phone boxes in the town centre.

According to Mr Parkin, “Ethnic minorities rely on public payphones to contact relatives overseas.”

Mr Parkin missed using the ‘old and vulnerable’ or ‘distressed children needing to contact their parents’ in his argument for the 12 kiosks which, in reality, are simply advertising hoardings by another name.

As Mr Parkin believes he is providing a service I hope that he will now be held responsible for making sure the facility is kept functional, clean and tidy and his company will be required to make any necessary repairs expeditiously should any of the kiosks suffer damage.

DES MORGAN, Caraway Drive, Swindon