We’ve every right to voice concerns

As a so-called Millennial, I would like to respond to David Topple’s letter [‘Are Brexit fears a millennium bug?’, December 13).

He suggests that my generation should stop worrying about Brexit, and instead focus on climate change, nuclear weapons, and the financial system. If Mr Topple had spoken to a young person recently, I’m sure he would be aware that we are, in fact, very worried about these issues. Particularly in the case of climate change, as a generation we seem directly aware of the problems it poses, and as such many are taking radical action with groups like Extinction Rebellion. However, ultimately we have limited power.

The people in UK or world leadership positions are predominantly of the older generations, and they are the ones who keep blocking progressive changes and breaking environmental protocols. Millennials are doing the best we can, but becoming vegetarian has a limited impact.

As for the wake of the financial crisis, that one that happened in 2008, when I was 13? I’m so sorry that I haven’t completely “reformed” the financial system yet, bringing an end to “mindless greed”; what have I been doing all these years of becoming an adult?!

The irony lies in the idea that opposing Brexit is mutually exclusive to the above concerns. For example, I’m very worried about how Kent will become a lorry park if we crash through a no deal Brexit, and what that will do to our air pollution levels. Similarly, Topple claims we should be worried about a previous financial crash, but we’re not allowed to voice our apprehension about the fall of the pound as a result of the Brexit vote?

It is true that Brexit doesn’t compare to the tragedy of the World Wars – though I don’t believe anyone my age has claimed such an equivalence. But mocking our concerns about our “right to live in Paris or Rome” not only excises our vocal campaigns about other important Brexit issues – the economy, the NHS, workers’ rights, environmental policy, etc – it also fails to see its connection to (scientific) research collaborations, global business, and the value of working in another country. Is he aware, for example, that future access to university education between the UK and EU is still an unresolved issue in the current Brexit Withdrawal Agreement? That could be economically and culturally damaging for Canterbury, a studentcity, especially for Kent, which is known as “the UK’S European university”. On a personal level, I’ve had to give up on my dreams of studying for my Masters in the EU because there is so much uncertainty about fees, visas, and studying rights. But I’m whining if I dare to say that my future choices have been drastically curtailed.

Brexit may not be a calamity of lost lives, but it is the calamity of a generation being closed off from its full potential, which is surely not what those young soldiers died for either. Izzy Inkpen Nargate Street, Littlebourne

n I found Mr Topple’s letter interesting as it reminded me why I was one of the 16 million who voted remain in 2016.

Our family lost many relatives in both World Wars, including my wife’s father.

I myself was born in 1934 and grew up during World War Two.

I was very lucky to survive both the London Blitz and the V weapons, although many of my school friends did not. I voted to enter and to remain in the EU as I did not want any other youngster to experience a similar childhood.

I naively thought that our country would become one of the major rule makers in the EU, along with France and Germany, and as such there could never be another European war.

I also believed that although we could never be the super power we once were, we would still be highly influential in world affairs. It is becoming increasingly obvious that that once we are out of the EU we will be a small country on our own and any influence we have on international affairs will be negligible. There has never been a word about this or the future security of our country.

All the talk is about trade. I still work both in this country and abroad and my experience tells me that whoever we trade with, it will be under their rules and regulations, not ours. John Redwood St Stephens Hill, Canterbury