Being ‘out’ still better than being in the EU

SINCE Brexit has almost been achieved I have kept myself to myself for months, but am moved to respond to Simon Hendrick’s letter of October 4.

One of the highlights (for me) of the referendum debate was Nick Clegg’s categorical denial to Nigel Farage’s warning that the EU was intending to develop its own military force. He knew it, many MEPs knew it; even I knew it through videos still available on YouTube. But no, Nick Clegg referred to Nigel Farage’s warning as “a dangerous fantasy”.

Well, as an arch-Remainer trying to quell any fears of the undecided, he would, wouldn’t he? Yet earlier this month, Ursula von der Leyen has made it clear an EU military force must be developed as part of a “natural progression”. Hmm...

As to the shortage of essential workers caused by the return home of many EU nationals and their reluctance to return, the large part of the blame for this lies firmly in the Remain camp. Clearing out my garage this week< I uncovered a load of ‘Vote Leave’ literature left over from my campaigning at the time.

Reading through them all again, I searched in vain for references to the necessary repatriation of foreign nationals. There was no such statement. The fear of this was deliberately fostered by the Remain camp. A distant relative of mine is a German surgeon in London; clearly an intelligent, well-educated man. Yet he expressed concern about his post-Brexit status. Why? Not because of anything he had heard from the Leave side, but because of misleading dire warnings emanating from the Remain side.

We sought to control immigration, as one would control the volume on a TV, not switch it off entirely. Sadly, the politicians in charge, not helped by the terminally pro-EU attitudes in the civil service, are making a pig’s ear of the immigration and visa issues; as they have of fishing and agriculture generally.

Brexit was undoubtedly a good thing. The EU has proved itself incapable of being reformed from within, as was the frequently uttered aim of the Remainers. It is still moving inexorably towards federalisation, and the UK as a member would have been unable to stop it. Its leadership is even worse than ours – look how they dragged their feet over the pandemic issue – but at least we can change our leaders whereas the fundamental point about the EU is that its electorate cannot change its leaders.

As for the alleged lack of queues at continental petrol stations, let’s not forget the anti-Brexit bias of much of our media, who are happy to foment discontent by blaming so much on the EU. The continental media cannot blame their lack of HGV drivers on not being in the EU! So, little publicity equals lack of public panic. Here, the reverse is true.

Some people may regret our voting to leave, but that’s how we voted. Just let them remember that to rejoin we would probably have to adopt the Euro and would then face being part of a militarised EU led by a commission not elected by our citizens. Think on!

Tom Trust West Cornwall