Letter: The EU Referendum Was a Mistake

Published on: 4 Sep, 2019
Updated on: 4 Sep, 2019

From Graham Moore

Anne Milton is to be congratulated for refusing the Tory whip. Although originally a Remainer, she apparently accepted the “democratic” decision of the Referendum.

However, it has since become evident that the Referendum itself was a half-baked idea. Leaving the EU is much more complex than was portrayed. No consideration was given to the Northern Ireland border with the common market, or the possibility that if Scotland voted to Remain it would attempt to break the Union.

Few voters appreciated the complexities of modern supply chains and the need for compatible regulations. Even our negotiators seemed to lack the understanding of the Four Freedoms (movement of goods, people, services and capital), which are the pillars of the European Union – let alone the limitation of WTO [World Trade Organisation] terms which were proposed as the alternative.

The Referendum was merely a cunning ruse to scupper Nigel Farage and UKIP, and it has backfired. Surely everyone must now see that to leave the Union with our major trading partner is a very complex decision and the referendum should have been defined as no more than “advisory”.

Cameron’s Government did not even have a plan for what our trading relations should be, or what sort of professional team would be needed to carry out negotiations. It was unfair to ask the voters to decide.

I can understand the feeling of frustration giving rise to the cry of, “Let’s do it and move on; all we need is strong leadership and optimism.” But even if the decision is made, it will take years to implement and absorb a huge amount of resources within the Civil Service and in commerce, which would be far better deployed in tackling more fundamental problems.

These are principally: (1) to adapt society to an ageing population, (2) to adjust the pattern of employment to new technologies, (3) to face the commercial challenges of new competitors such as China and India, and (4) to protect the environment and our security in the face of authoritarian regimes and threats of world population growth, increased competition for resources, and the resulting wars and refugee crises.

In what way, would the UK be better able to deal with these problems if it leaves the EU? This is the debate we should now be having.

Responses to Letter: The EU Referendum Was a Mistake

Jim Allen Reply

September 4, 2019 at 8:02 pm

Everything is a “mistake” when it doesn’t go your way. Perhaps honouring the people’s vote to leave would also be “a mistake”, save that fact that’s what democracy is all about. Some of us thought it through thoroughly, looked at the facts and decided enough is enough. We can’t carry the whole of Europe and we can’t house the whole of the rest of the world (for one thing we simply don’t have enough water.) It’s time for a reality check – based on facts, not pseudo claims and stories.
Christopher Jay Reply

September 5, 2019 at 1:08 am

I think Anne Milton got it wrong.

Our trade with the EU is declining. The EU is declining as well. Italy, Spain and Portugal suffer from huge unemployment. Greece is bankrupt. France cannot afford its huge social security bills. German manufacturing is coming unstuck. The EU is a grand socialist construct where the centre (the unelected Commission) rules by edict based on the wishes of the French and Germans and the bureaucrats desire for ever closer union.

Our future is with the wider world where we can freely trade with countries whose economies are expanding. The world outside the EU manages to trade on WTO terms and free trade agreements. Supply chains function as well.

The country’s civil service given strong political direction (by Mr Gove) can achieve anything including the smooth transition from EU membership to being a free agent again without the encumbrance of a deeply unsatisfactory withdrawal agreement and political declaration.
Dave Fassom Reply

September 5, 2019 at 11:20 am

I made my decision from a very well-informed position and it is the tone and attitude of people like Graham Moore, that try to get their own way to stay in an anti-democratic institution, that is so frustrating to the democrats amongst us.

I voted Leave for the long term benefits it would bring to my family and children. It is a big world out there and I am afraid that the collection of disparate views in the EU itself will make trade progress with other countries very difficult in the future.

Rather than voting for cheap EU labour and worrying about where we will get our carers, waiters and nannies from we need to really assess what staying in the EU means for us. My assessment, looking at the state of countries like Greece, Italy and Spain, is that things will get gradually worse and I for one, do not want to be bailing out Europe with my hard-earned taxes.
David Wragg Reply

September 5, 2019 at 12:42 pm

I voted Leave for the UK to regain its sovereignty in the face if an increasingly bureaucratic and undemocratic EU whose outlook is different from ours.

We have already helped the Irish Republic despite our not being in the Eurozone because we realised that a bankrupt Ireland would affect ourselves, but in return Ireland’s leaders have decided to make exiting the EU difficult for the UK.

Sadly, many believe that the next bankruptcy in the Eurozone will be Italy, and I don’t want the UK to be called upon to bail that, or any other, country out.

The problem is that our so-called leaders failed to recognise the difficulties and prepare for them.
Martin Dowland Reply

September 6, 2019 at 8:49 pm

As has been the case throughout, there has not been one credible or appropriate case for the anti-European vote. Not one. There are credible cases of need for reform which were abused and misappropriated – immigration, identity, unemployment, happiness. There were less than credible aspirations to do with greed, xenophobia, ignorance and delusion. But even now, not one case. Only games of politics.

The majority is no longer in favour of this, it never was. This is why the remaining Brexiters cling to their rather meaningless phrases which are all getting rather tedious.

You can fool some people sometimes etc.