Let’s find common ground to build better
THE variety of letters sent to WMN these days proves the continued importance of regional newspapers; people living as relative neighbours can hold a dialogue which hopefully should not be a dialogue of the deaf. It’s profoundly sad that dismissive language is too often used. People who retain a positive attitude towards the EU are dehumanised as “traitors or moles” when their views are factually accurate and calmly expressed. The person with the weak “arguments” resorts to insults. If we are to “build back a better” society after we have amputated ourselves from the EU next January we have to find unrancorous common ground.
I am told that the “British People” know the truth about the process and the results of Brexit; that there can be no discussion or regret: that only patronising members of the “elite” can have doubts that something close to Heaven will descend on whichever sections of the UK that remain united during the next decade.
We are hacking ourselves “free” from the EU while 15 nations around the Pacific Ocean, knowing that team membership has more
advantages than negatives, have just finished a 10-year process of getting together in the RCEP trade partnership whose joint strength represents one third of the global economy. Australia and N. Zealand are in, thus the insistence that the Commonwealth can be recreated and its members will run to our post-Brexit aid is a dream.
One evening last week, while the Pacific nations were committing themselves to co-operation our TV channels had no less than 6 programmes on WWII. Was the bravery of our grandparents in that war really “our finest hour”, can we only ever be “Great” again when we are locked in self-absorbed isolation?
One of your recent correspondents stated that “most people believe that we can do so much better leaving the EU”. True? The Confederation of British Industry, the CEOs of all the UK car factories, leaders across the board in the NHS, the NFU, those in charge of our police and security services, most academics, the Road Haulage Association, the teaching unions, many leaders in the construction industry, musicians and actors of all types, chefs, the British Chambers of Commerce, those whose lives depend on guaranteed supplies of medicines produced in the EU, all living ex-Prime Ministers, the majority of 18-25 year olds... I guess it depends on the meaning of “most” and
“much better”!
And what of the two “inspirational” men who persuaded many of us that, in Mr Johnson’s words “our friends and partners” in Europe, were in “fact” despicable bullies? Mr D Cummings has at last proved that his conceited manipulation of the PM was the opposite of our “taking back control” of British democracy. Wouldn’t it now be sensible if Mr Cummings stood for Parliament?
Mr Farage recently joined his friend Mr Trump to help him win re-election. As reported by WMN,
Mr Farage said “Mr Trump was the bravest and most resilient person I have ever met”. Nice to see that not only does Nigel know exactly what is best for the “British People” he is also an excellent judge of character. Mr F is also starting an on-line magazine called ‘Fortune and Freedom’. It is to be hoped that he will advise us on insurance policies that we can purchase to cover anything that might possibly go wrong, after December 31, when, following his guidance, we have become “an independent coastal state”.
Jeremy Hall Crockernwell, Exeter