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Leaving the EU won’t make us poorer

Daniel Pitt writes that those who voted to leave the political construct that is the EU didn’t “vote leave to be poorer” (February 2).

He is quite right, but it has to be said that the two questions asked didn’t require the issue to be a consideration.

It should also be said that there is absolutely no reason why leaving the EU should make anyone poorer, if that were to be the case it would only be as a result of the EU making leaving as uncomfortable as possible.

I think we have seen the nasty position taken by the EU which can best be described by a reworking of Congreve’s words “Heav’n has no rage like love to hatred turn’d / Nor Hell a fury, like Europe scorn’d.”

I believe Adver readers can see beyond the absurd claims made by Remainers that Leaving will invoke food shortages (as if the EU farmers and producers would allow that to happen), drugs such as Insulin will be in short supply (that would demonstrate a level of spite hardly worthy of a civilised organisation) and companies relocating activities overseas (that happens all the time, generally for commercial reasons allied to profitability).

It’s also very sad that Mr Pitt invokes the grossly offensive notion that due to naturally occurring demographic change the number of people who originally voted Leave will have reduced as a result of them being older than those who voted to Remain.

While it may well be true that statistically older voters favoured Leave, it is offensive to assume that simply because a clever analyst claims to be able to project a point where the balance tips in favour of Remain, a new referendum vote should take place.

The will of the people, which Mr Pitt questions, was made manifest in a democratic vote held in June 2016 – a once in a lifetime vote.

I do acknowledge Mr Pitt for making the point that the EU is far from perfect.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive, Swindon

Let’s keep it simple

Well done Adver. A Brexit letter without invective or childish labels (Daniel Pitt, February 2). But where to go from here?

The 2016 referendum took place against a background of austerity, immigration scares and NHS funding issues compounded by overblown rhetoric, little fact and with a couple of very large helpings of jingoism and fear.

However, we will shortly know the true facts associated with any decision to leave and will soon be in a better position to judge what is truly the best direction for our country and for the generations to come.

Sadly our politicians continue to hide under the banner of ‘honouring the will of the people’ whilst, what many are really doing is simply trying to protect their seats and/or jobs and constantly putting Party before Country.

They have proved themselves through their attitude and behaviour in recent weeks to be both unworthy and incapable of making the final decision as to what direction our country should follow.

It is right therefore that the people should have the final decision, not through a General Election, but by a second referendum. Crashing out without an Agreement has been thoroughly discredited and therefore the vote should be simple – Vote in favour of leaving with the only deal which is then on the table or vote to remain. Or is this just too, too simple?

Patrick Brennan, Kilda Road, Highworth

Pubs are just too pricey

We keep hearing stories of pubs closing all over the countries and they all blame everything apart from their prices. On Friday, schools were closed so after an hour of playing in the snow my son and I went to the Tawny Owl pub. Two cokes and one packet of cheese and onion crisps cost us £6.

I repeat £6. For two fizzy cokes and 1 packet of crisps. Disgusting. That is a simple lesson is why pubs are closing.

Not rocket science is it? Put your prices down and maybe people might come back.

Roger Lack, North Swindon