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Let’s have the truth

Sue Doughty writes (February 8), that ‘Donald Tusk has grossly insulted all of us’.

I don’t think he insulted anyone, he just stated the truth.

Only half of his words were reported by much of our national press, and at first, even the BBC. He actually said “There’s a special place in hell for those who backed Brexit... with no plan”.

The negotiators on both sides have found the Brexit talks hellishly difficult and complex.

But as usual our press has chosen to whip up public resentment towards the foreigners. Half the population now believe EU officials and heads of European states to be moustache twirling baddies.

In fact the negotiators on the EU side are acting on a brief agreed between the 27 national governments which were democratically elected by the people of those countries. Our own negotiators are acting on a brief from our own government.

Much is claimed about ‘unelected EU officials. However, Tusk himself was elected by 27 votes to 1, The only country which voted against him was his native Poland, because he was from the previous Polish administration, before the present one.

Most of our national press is in support of Brexit, so the resentment and confusion towards our closest allies and partners gets worse and worse.

Just three or four years ago polls showed that concerns about the EU were quite low down on the list for the UK population compared to other worries like austerity, bankers, the NHS etc. Since Cameron called the referendum half the public has been whipped into a froth against the EU which has become the most divisive, paralysing and debilitating issue of our time.

We look set to Leave on May’s appalling blindfold Brexit deal, or even no deal at all, which was unthinkable two and a half years ago.

Why? most of our more right wing press is owned by multi billionaires,often off shore and connected to vast, dark financial interests.

Brexit is in their interests. Not ours, Yet here we are believing this hideous propaganda about our closest neighbours and friends.

Steve Rouse, Wroughton

Brexit shambles

Regardless of how they voted in the referendum, the one thing that is clear is that nobody is happy about the way our government is handling our withdrawal from the EU. With only days to go we still don’t know what Brexit will entail.

Many people talk about project fear but we would be foolish to trust that everything will be ok, that there will be no interruption to the supply of vital medicines for example.

The recent fiasco over Seabourne Freight can hardly fill us with confidence in the government’s ability to prepare for no deal.

I have written dozens of letters and emails to my MP asking how he will represent my views in Parliament and protect the nation from economic and social disaster. Although he has replied to some, he has consistently failed to address my concerns and has recently suggested that I should stop writing to him on this subject.

Meanwhile our government is suppressing freedom of information, considering martial law, ensuring businesses leave the UK and spending billions to make us all poorer.

What are we to do?

Sarah Bowles, South Cottage, Hodson

Thanks for listening

Through your columns I would like to thank the police and crime commissioner for listening to my concerns at both the Police and Crime Panel, where I am a member. I asked him to revisit his plan to spend the additional precept he is asking for on extra firearms and traffic officers. He responded at the Police and Crime Panel last week by agreeing to a further 10 officers on the beat as well as giving me a personal assurance that firearms officers would be engaged in community policing.

These extra feet on the beat are a victory for the people of Wiltshire and Swindon who are crying out for more visible policing.

Councillor Jonathon Seed, Address supplied