A sad chapter

As of Monday the negative impact of Brexit will be further felt as it is decided where two major European agencies, currently based in London, will be relocated to.

The EU member states will take the decision, decided by an arcane secret ballot, as to who will grasp the European Banking Authority (EBA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA), as the UK heads out of the European Union. Both

are much sought-after prizes, considered to be among the EU’S crown jewels, with the former acting as the umbrella regulator for the EU’S banking system and the latter responsible for the protection of public and animal health through the scientific evaluation and supervision of medicines.

By a member state successfully acquiring these, not only is there the cachet of being a regulatory base, but the magnetic effect they could have in drawing workers from companies keen to be close to their watchdog. Nineteen locations have submitted bids to host the EMA; eight want the EBA (Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Paris, Prague, Vienna and Warsaw), with the Austrian and Irish capitals offering particularly generous free office space deals, according to insiders.

In 2002 I led a campaign to try and bring Eurojust (the European Justice Agency) to Edinburgh. This proved unsuccessful and the agency remained in The Hague in the Netherlands. Never did I think I would see agencies exiting our shores as the UK plummets out of the EU. Slowly but surely the negative effects of Brexit are being felt, and this is yet another chapter in a story which is destined to have a far from happy ending.

ALEX ORR

Leamington Terrace, Edinburgh

Brian Wilson (Perspective, 17 November) is wrong to think that Remainers were not likely to get excited by Brexit as long as the exit was conducted effectively.

The Lib Dems and various industrialists have called for a second referendum on the terms we are offered. Many other MPS agree.this is justified by the fact the referendum was won by propaganda and not firm knowledge. The notion of “Say No to project Fear, and get £10 billion for the NHS” comes from having a condescending attitude to the public’s intelligence. We now know that with a big divorce

bill and a limiting Canadatype deal in the offing, there is cause for fear. A referendum held in a democratic spirit would have treated the public as grown-ups, and honestly considered the issues.

When even George Freeman of Conservative Policy Forum admits that “Brexit may be the moment we finally fail”, then wishy washy attitudes won’t do. Democratic accountability requires our politicians to

stand up for parliamentary sovereignty against the grandiosity of Brexiteers. There has been no urgency about preparing for a hard Brexit, because the Brexiteers believed their own propaganda about it being a cakewalk (with plenty cake to eat). Theresa May from the beginning adopted their inflexibility, with the slogan “Brexit means Brexit”.

Now Parliament has to painstakingly spend its precious time clawing back its Sovereignty so it can oversee preparations, and introduce flexibility into the final decision making. While countries like Holland are preparing effectively for hard Brexit, we are not. The Neo-liberal faction who won Brexit were never the right people to chart a safe course – many Remainers have known that from the start. So Remainers have been tactical, not apathetic.

ANDREW VASS

Corbiehill Place, Edinburgh