Economics had little to do with the Brexit vote

THE article calling for New Zealand to ‘‘Weigh in on Brexit’’ (ODT, 6.8.18) deserves a response.

The United Kingdom’s vote to withdraw from the European Union was, according to Robert Patman and David Welch, the exception that proves the rule. Thus, our interference in that democratic vote is acceptable. Really?

Yes, the narrow margin of the vote made it invalid. But surely in a country that still has a firstpastthepost electoral system, narrow margins are what it’s all about. The winner takes all.

But the Russians interfered and all the Brexit people told lies, we hear. I don’t know if they did or not, but don’t they all tell lies? And don’t the Russians and Americans always try to sway votes in other countries?

I don’t know which side of the Brexit debate I’d be on because I don’t know enough about the issues. But all the articles condemning Brexit that I’ve read follow the same line — the economy, and nothing else.

I don’t know anything about economics either, but I do know people in England who voted for Brexit, and economics had nothing to do with the way they voted.

What they were concerned about was tradition, culture, social cohesion and independence.

None of these concerns meet the economic criteria critics demand, but for a lot of people some things are more important than the economy. Christopher Horan

Lake Hawea

Time to go vegan

HOW sad that a mother cow, along with her calf, has been sent to the slaughterhouse for trying to protect her calf (ODT, 7.8.18).

Tragically, even if she hadn’t injured anyone, she and her calf would have ultimately met this same cruel fate. This is why the world needs to go vegan.

How can we ever hope to achieve world peace while we treat our fellow creatures in such a heartless and merciless manner?

Jenny Moxham Monbulk, Australia