Transition extension

I hope you have seen a new report by the Social Market Foundation

on the double impact of Brexit and coronavirus.

The report shows that any change to our trade relationship with Europe during the Covid-19 recession will severely 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.

We have also heard today from Nissan that they can no longer support their Sunderland car plant unless a tariff free trade deal is agreed.

If we do not get a tariff free trade deal with the EU there will be immediate customs checks at all ports from January 1, 2021.

We know from earlier reports that Portsmouth Port will have queues of trucks trying to enter and leave and this is certainly going to cause utter chaos on the M27 between Havant and Southampton, as well as local routes through Fareham, Cosham, Portchester, Farlington etc. which many will try and use to avoid the gridlock.

Two of our local MPs are complicit in voting for this and supporting a government driven, not by the needs of the UK population, but by Tory right wing ideology. 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 obviously need time to deal with that before we can turn our focus to our changing relationship with the EU.

Please call for an extension to the transition period so that sensible and mature negotiations can take place. John Fox

Glendale Locks Heath