Support each other to survive

With people quite rightly concerned with the coronavirus pandemic, one item that has gone very quiet is our trade negotiations with the EU, the final round of which was due to be completed this month when Mr Johnson is meeting for talks with the European Commission.

With our economy suffering its worst decline ever due to this pandemic, leaving the EU free trade zone without a deal will inflict even more damage and yet there is no indication that the Brexit deadline will be extended beyond the end of this year. In these difficult times we have come to realise the importance of family, friends and community relationships, as we can use these to support each other and help us survive this crisis.

Surely with our economy in disarray it would make sense to maintain the existing close relationship with the EU by simply just extending the transition period, at least until this crisis is over?

We were told at the last election that even if we could not get a trade deal with the EU, Britain’s economy was strong enough to prosper under World Trade Organisation terms, which may have been true in December last year, but is certainly not the case now! If this pandemic has taught us one thing it is that countries not only need to be prepared for every eventuality but need to work together to overcome common difficulties.

The outbreak of the coronavirus is one catastrophe where we have suffered more than most countries. Let us hope that our leaving the EU will not turn out to be another which we will have brought on ourselves. Mike Armstrong Queens Avenue, Canterbury

■ I’ve just seen a new report (from Best for Britain and the Social Market Foundation) on the double impact of Brexit and coronavirus, and feel like I’ve spotted an iceberg on the horizon that everyone else is ignoring. The report shows that any change to our trade relationship with Europe during the Covid19 recession will hurt the UK economy. The north west and the Midlands regions of the UK would face a disproportionately severe impact should we leave the Brexit transition period without any kind of deal. Brexit is done and we cannot stop it, but we can protect our jobs, our services and our

local businesses. However, our communities are already stretched to breaking point by the coronavirus pandemic and we desperately need time to deal with that before we can turn our focus to our changing relationship with the EU.

Mrs M. Telford

Glen Iris Ave, Canterbury