Brexit will only benefit the few

I voted remain and believe the UK has been severely damaged for generations to come by the decision to leave the EU. The UK took over 2,000 years to become the great inclusive and diverse nation it is. The Tory party has destroyed all that in less than two years by their actions. The UK will become a more insular and divided country. Inequality will increase and life chances will be reduced for all but the richest.

“The will of the people” is a myth – 46.5 million people were eligible to vote, 17.4 million people voted leave, 16.1 million people voted remain, 13 million people did not vote. The UK is leaving the EU on a leave vote of 37% of the electorate (a majority of 1.3 million voters out of an electorate of 46.5 million). It’s hardly the overwhelming will of the people, more the influence of selfinterested disingenuous politicians, businesspeople and sections of the media who propagate a rose-tinted view of the future shaped by invoking highly selective past history. These people will become greatly richer or increasingly more powerful because of this decision. The majority of the UK population will become poorer. Peter Gainey, Herne Bay Road, Whitstable

For most of us, Christmas and New Year is a happy time to be enjoyed with family and friends. But each year my thoughts are with a group of people who dread the festive period and all it entails – victims of domestic violence.

Because nationally there’s a seasonal spike in incidents of such violence reported to the police every year.

Added financial pressure, an increase in alcohol consumption and the fact that people are cooped up in close quarters with their nearest and dearest can be an inflammatory combination.

Incidents of domestic violence can range from verbal arguments or plates being thrown to long-term coercive and controlling behaviour or sexual abuse.

We take the issue of domestic abuse very seriously here in Canterbury. Our officers are fully trained in this crime type and work closely with other agencies to offer help and specialist support to both victims and offenders.

So as we approach a new year, I urge victims not to suffer in silence. Report it and we will support you. Even if you don’t want to involve the police, there are support agencies you can contact and even apps you can download to access help. The vital thing is to break the cycle of behaviour that is so damaging for all concerned.

As we approach the end of a busy but rewarding year I have been thinking about 2018 and what I am hoping to achieve, professionally and personally.

Professionally, my goals are to reduce burglaries across the district by targeting known criminals and encouraging people to be more security conscious. I look forward to embarking on some exciting crime reduction and detection initiatives in the New Year, specifically around burglary.

Our vibrant city has a large student population and tackling crimes against them will be another of my key aims.

I also want to spend more time with my frontline officers, getting out and about to see the excellent work they do, day in and day out.

Personally, I have two New Year’s resolutions: to exercise more and to spend more time with my family, who often see me less than perhaps they should – yet support me all the same.

Because policing isn’t just a job, it’s a vocation. This Christmas and New Year, when most people are enjoying quality time with their own families, officers and staff at Kent Police have been working around the clock to ensure the Canterbury district is a safe place to live, work and visit. My brother, sister, their families and my parents all live in the district and I go home each night safe in the knowledge that they’re protected and served by superb teams of officers who work 24/7.

They are committed to protecting the public from harm and they put victims at the heart of everything they do, and I am incredibly proud of them.

I wish you all the very best for the New Year.