Letters: Liberals standing firm for a vote to Remain

These letters appear in the 29th February 2016 edition of The Independent

Many are concerned over the detrimental effects of Brexit (Reuters)

The Editor asks whether as liberals or democrats we are wavering on Europe (Letter from the Editor, 27 February)? Not wavering but wondering what might have been.

It is now widely accepted that eurozone countries will have to move to closer union and there will inevitably be a twin-track Europe. A British statesman might therefore have led supporters both within and outside the eurozone in a genuine reform process to institute those twin tracks – without the threat of a referendum. Such a positive strategy might have finessed the opposition within the Conservative Party and given us europhiles something positive to work for.

As it is we have only Cameron’s ridiculous bit of paper, an unresolved eurozone position, the collapse of Shengen and the threat of an even worse refugee crisis to coincide with the referendum in June. No wonder some might be wavering!

Brian G Mitchell

Cambridge

In your editorial of 27 February you invite liberals to consider whether David Owen may be right in supporting the departure of Britain from the European Union. The answer must be a resounding No. The retreat of the little Englanders into an island fortress is a profoundly illiberal idea.

The idea that we should cut ourselves adrift from Europe to control our borders is bizarre. We have control of our borders. We are not part of Schengen. Everyone entering or departing from Britain is subject to passport control, where those on watch lists can be identified. Further, our membership of the EU and the existence of the European arrest warrant assist security. Indeed even within Schengen, as we are now learning, countries have the right to reimpose border checks.

If by gaining control of our borders you are referring to controlling immigration then, again, this is a profoundly illiberal approach. Only around half our net immigration is accounted for by EU citizens, the remainder are non-EU citizens, who are not impacted by our membership of the EU.

In spite of, and arguably because of, positive net immigration, unemployment has been falling and real wages rising. Migration brings people with drive and dynamism. People come here from the EU because there are jobs, because of the flexibility of our labour market and they are net contributors to our economy. The wish to reduce immigration is fuelled by xenophobia rather than any rational view of our economy.

Let us also not forget that the same freedom of movement within Europe allows us and our children to freely work in other European countries, something we are denied in countries outside the EU.

George Lodge

South Wraxall, Wiltshire

Amol Rajan (Letter from the Editor, 27 February) has got it wrong. Liberals and democrats may well be wavering over which way to vote in the referendum. Former liberals and democrats such as David Owen or Frank Field deciding to back Brexit is unlikely to swing us to join their cause.

Frankly, when people such as Michael “vote No to vote Yes” Howard, Messrs Owen and Field join some of the most illiberal part of the Tory party, Ukippers and George Galloway in the Brexit camp it simply stiffens my resolve to say Yes.

Christine Wright

London E1

The answer to your question is no, I do not see me moving towards an exit vote, although I am disturbed by the number of former immigrants I know, originally from outside the EU, who seem to think that leaving is a good idea.

We’ve got all the connections and arrange-ments, free, and we aren’t locked into the euro; I can’t see how it gets any better. (Cameron’s fiddling with benefits impresses me not at all, by the way.)

Cole Davis

London NW2

You can’t solve the deficit in five years

George Osborne has told us to expect more and deeper cuts in public spending (already stripped to the bone) because tax receipts are down and his “long-term economic plan” is not performing.

Of course tax receipts are down when companies like Google are able to negotiate their own level of payment. As for the “long-term” plan, I cannot think that a plan to defeat the deficit in five years by 2020 can be described as long-term. It is a politically expedient time-frame coinciding with the next election.

The deficit took many years to accumulate: how can it be solved in five? His new plans prove that five years is not enough. The country is suffering hugely with reduced services and cultural devastation in the name of austerity.

Austerity is really only hitting the less well-off. I have to admit that it has not had any significant impact on me and I am certain it has not been noticed in the household of any member of the Government.

Please, George Osborne, admit you’ve been proved wrong, extend your time-frame, and stop crippling this country with this five-year mantra of austerity.

Christopher Bratt

Arnside, Cumbria

Clegg too honest for the political game

Congratulations to Andrew Grice for his interview with Nick Clegg (26 February). And full credit to Nick Clegg for his honesty and fair-mindedness in his comments that “politics is a brutal business”, and “I tried to make the right judgements for the right motives in the circumstances in which I found myself”.

But what made my blood boil was his report of the reaction of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor to the Lib Dems’ efforts to build more social housing: “All it does is produce more Labour voters.” Arrogance, selfishness, and lack of any human or social conscience exhibited by these self-centred inhabitants of their class bubble.

It is clear that, in the current political game (and I believe that a lot of politicians, and especially their advisers, do see themselves as playing a game) honesty, integrity and fairness are not the best policy.

We need to change the “game” to encourage and reward more honest participants, like Clegg. Any ideas anyone?

Peter Cole

Northumberland

Sturgeon unleashes the SNP rowdies

Nicola Sturgeon marched in London on Saturday and says she will campaign in England for a Remain vote. At the same time, she has told David Cameron to stay away from Scotland during the EU campaign. She seems unaware that her position gives her no standing in England, whereas Cameron is Prime Minister of the entire UK, including Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon’s words to David Cameron give a clear signal to the rowdies among her following that, in her view, the Prime Minister will be fair game for harassment in Scotland, as Scottish unionist politicians and Ed Miliband were in 2014-15. This is an utterly irresponsible way for a senior politician to behave.

Jill Stephenson

Edinburgh

What will weekend doctors actually do?

Jeremy Hunt, ignoring or misunderstanding all the available evidence, tells us that the way to have a “seven-day NHS” is to increase the number of junior doctors on duty at the weekend.

He has yet to explain exactly what they’ll be doing. They won’t be conducting routine outpatient clinics, because there won’t be enough non-medical staff (nurses, admin clerks; radiographers; physiotherapists; laboratory staff and porters among others) to support those clinics. They won’t be carrying out routine surgery for the same reason.

I suppose they could make themselves useful by washing the hospital managers’ cars.

Oh no, I was forgetting, it’s the weekend.

Dr Bob Bury

Leeds

As a hospital consultant and NHS employee, I do not recognise Mary Dejevsky’s assertion (25 February) that there is “a surfeit of employees, especially in the least skilled jobs, during standard working hours.”

My understanding is that my hospital is short-staffed in most if not all departments. As Ms Dejevsky has failed to provide any evidence to substantiate her claim, I remain unconvinced.

Dr Colin Dryden FRCA

Consultant Anaesthetist

Liverpool

Ignore them, they’re not top people

Lord Hall apologises after Dame Janet Smith finds the “deeply deferential” BBC failed to stop Sir Jimmy Savile. The victims, untitled commoners, ignored or disbelieved.

So, in our “deeply deferential” society, if it takes a dame to make a lord apologise for a knight, when will ordinary citizens get the respect they deserve?

John Hughes

Brentford, Middlesex

Boris’s hair flying in the wind

The reason why Boris doesn’t wear a cycling helmet (letter, 27 February) is obvious – it would ruin his hair.

Ann Smith

Southport