Letter: The benefits of Brexit?

Unfortunately, the UK, having left the EU, is now growing very slowly if at all, and its trade with our nearest neighbours has dropped catastrophically. Many companies are now moving to mainland Europe so that they do not have all the extra “red tape” Brexit now requires, so important industries in the UK are being lost.

Cameron and Osborne were very remiss in not including in the EU referendum legislation at least a 60% majority for constitutional change, as they did in the Scottish referendum two years before.

Yes, the majority for Leave was very narrow, but this was to make a huge constitutional change, rather than elect an MP or councillor for a few years. The EU never was going to become a “super state”, but was founded to find a way for the countries of our continent to work together cooperatively rather than suffering catastrophic wars every few decades. Sadly, Putin has no such ambition, but wants to create a Russian ‘super state’.

So far there are massive shortfalls of workers in key parts of our economy like agriculture, drivers, NHS nurses and doctors, and care workers, as the Leave campaign whipped up antagonism towards them, so they decided to go home. Please note Hilda Ali, Star, February 11.

These were all people who were previously happy to work in our country and make a contribution, but have been made to feel unwanted. Ironically, the government is now trying to recruit people from the Indian sub-continent to replace them.

Even worse is the proposal by the Brexit fanatics in the Tory Party to try to abolish all European regulations, which would mean all protections for food safety and hygiene, consumer protection, agricultural support, workers’ rights to paid holidays and decent working conditions, and many other benefits disappear, which will make trading with the biggest Free Trade area in the world on our doorstep even more difficult, to say nothing of the problems caused for our own citizens losing many of their rights.

I am still waiting to hear of any benefits of Brexit. Also, why has the Government not used the alleged money we would not have to pay to the EU to pay our nurses a decent wage?

Veronica Hardstaff

Sheffield, S10