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Work together

Both mainstream sides of the EU in or out debate seem to base their case on fantasy or wishful thinking. Many decent people want to remain because they, wrongly in my view, see it as a defence against the neo-Liberal, pro big business austerity policies which have so damaged, and continue to damage the lives of working people.

It’s true that Tory Brexiters enthusiastically back these miserable polices. But what it ignores is that those austerity policies have as often as not been foisted on people by the EU. Right now the new Spanish government has to go cap in hand to get the EU’s permission for a budget which rows back against austerity. EU rules stand in the way of policies, like nationalisation, which can put people before profit.

Yet on the other side we have Brexiters arguing that before entry to the EU the UK economy was doing fine. It wasn’t. In common with the rest of the developed world there was post-war growth but here it lagged badly behind everyone else.

It’s true that living standards improved but the fat cat bosses saw this as a problem because the living standards were being won by militant trade union action. That’s why successive governments, Labour and Tory, fought hard to cut wages and attacked unions.

Both mainstream Brexit and mainstream Leave politics lead to cuts and privatisation. Either in or out we need collective trade union action to oppose austerity, cuts, privatisation and racism.

Peter Smith, Woodside Avenue, Swindon

Odd indication

I have driven heavy vehicles, light vehicles and driven through Europe and the UK, but there is something that is confusing me.

Why is it that some vehicles when turning left or right a spotlight comes on until they have made that manoeuvre, and some other vehicles one headlight goes off? What is wrong with the old fashion indicator? While I am on the subject why do some drivers when going straight over a mini or small roundabout indicate left?It’s an accident waiting to happen.

Gary Darling, West Swindon

To no one’s credit

The new universal credit is tending to make poor people even poorer. Shame on that!

Now Esther McVey is doing a mean spirited clobbering of the poor including sort of censoring charities who help poorer people in our community. It makes me pleased I never went into professional politics but stick to letter writing and phone ins.

Of course Esther McVey may see it differently, for example “Politics is a tough old game, but in 10 to 15 years time, I may be Tory party leader or even Prime Minister, onward and upward.”

I hope the media will keep a watch on how universal credit develops. It matters!

Max Nottingham, St Faith’s Street, Lincoln