Readers' letters - July 26

The main reason why so many people voted leave, encouraged by the Leave campaign, was primarily immigration and the £350m a week contribution to the EU that we were told would go to the NHS.

Now the truth has finally come out.

The true figure is, was always, and still is, £160m.

And now we have been informed by the heads of the European parliament that restricting EU nationals from working and living in the UK is not negotiable.

Full stop.

And if you take into account Norway and Switzerland, which are out of the EU and percentage-wise pay more in and have more EU workers than Britain, the question is what have we left the EU for?

A technical recession, higher taxes, spending cuts forecast, leading companies now saying they’re leaving the UK.

All this and we haven’t even invoked Article 50, which starts our withdrawal from the largest and richest trading bloc in the world.

We will all be poorer as a result of the Brexit result.

DJW, address supplied

We need to fix broken system

Many people across the UK will feel a profound sense of shock after the referendum result.

But we must acknowledge that while a lot of the population are discontent with the way Europe functions, many people are angry with the state of our own democracy – it is clear our own broken system is also in desperate need of a fix.

For example, we urgently need to reform our electoral system to make it proportional and representative.

Campaigning for electoral reform for our local and general elections will be one of the first priorities for Greens in the post-referendum landscape.

We need to heal the divisions created by the referendum, uniting around a campaign for putting our own house in order could help to do that.

We must also be on our guard.

Some leading Leave campaigners are climate sceptics and believe laws and regulations which safeguard workers’ rights and protect the environment are simply ‘red tape’ preventing business competitiveness.

Greens will need to mobilise alongside the trade unions, environmental groups and others to defend our hard-won rights at work and environmental protections. There will also be some new opportunities for change.

For example, with no EU laws on state aid, it should be easier for local councils to use local businesses to provide more of their services.

Gina Dowding, Co-ordinator North Lancashire Green Party, Lancashire County Council

Selfishness 
of Leavers

Has no one ever noticed how selfishly orientated the politicians supporting Brexit are?

Britain! Always concerned about what’s best for Britain...

My old mum used to recite the cliche “Charity begins at home.” And I used to retort “Yes! But it doesn’t end there.”

Yes! We pay, or have paid, lots of money to Brussels.

But how much did we get back? I understand the clean new sands at Blackpool is funded from Brussels, to name one North West example.

“Give us our money back. Let us decide how WE spend OUR money!” preach the Brexit politicians. How selfish!

Are the Brexit politicians not aware that, in a community as big as the European Union, some countries, particularly in the eastern regions, are needy of help and Brussels bestows this help and assistance.

And we – our Brexit politicians – are going to be so selfish and inward looking as to begrudge this help.

Robin Parker via email

Thank you to street cleaners

A huge thank you to the wonderful people who keep our streets as litter-free as possible.

In these times of severe cutbacks, it is wonderful that our councils still have street cleaning crews.

Portway and Navigation Way in Preston are repeatedly blighted with litter. Similarly, Mariner’s Way, again in Preston, is regularly strewn with rubbish, predominantly from McDonald’s and KFC.

It is heartbreaking for those of us who actually live on the docks to see our home area so disrespected by folk who appear to think nothing of dropping their rubbish anywhere and everywhere, often, incomprehensibly, even within sight of a litter bin.

A HUGE thank you for the wonderful work of council street cleaning crews and litter pickers.

They have a horrible and thankless job, picking up after other people.

Their ongoing efforts do not go unnoticed and are so very, very much appreciated.

Long may this unfortunately very necessary service continue.

Heartfelt thanks.

G Lucas via email