PLEASE keep your letters to 250 words maximum giving your name, address and daytime telephone number - even on emails. Email: letters@swindonadvertiser.co.uk. Write: Swindon Advertiser, Unit 1 and 2 Richmond House, Edison Park, Swindon, SN3 3RB. Phone: 01793 501806.

Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Cavalier view unhelpful

I recently read with interest Coun Renard’s comments in the Advertiser,“‘Swindon people just want to get on with Brexit’ - council leader,” in which he asserts most people in Swindon see the UK’s departure from the EU as more important than any exit agreement itself.

To put that another way, he seems to believe most people in Swindon see no deal as equally acceptable as a good deal Brexit, with remain being the worst outcome.

Since the referendum (in which Swindon voted to leave), there have been numerous documented cases of people that voted leave expressing remorse at their choice.

Some are even quoted as saying “I didn’t actually think it would happen!”

Assuming this nationwide trend is reflected locally, then quite a few of the 67000 leavers would now be remainers.

Yes, some remainers would now vote leave, but the generally acknowledged swing is towards remain.

Indeed, a recent Facebook poll on a north Swindon group, while only answered by a handful of people, suggested approximately 66 per cent would now vote remain.

Obviously such polls are not scientific, but to dismiss their results as meaningless would be reckless.

Mr Renard has a reputation among a number of locals as being far from keen to engage with his critics.

However, I would suggest he should refrain from the cavalier views of any exit is a good exit that he shares with a few people he likes talking to as being the opinion of Swindon residents generally.

Instead perhaps he might get out there and engage with the wider community – even those that he disagrees with.

He might find it enlightening.

Steve Hall, Eastbury Way, Swindon

Asylum not working

RE: They should go home ( Bill Williams. Adver 6/3/19).

According to a recent analysis (January 2019) by a former Home Office chief, tens of thousands of refugees remain in this country despite their applications having been rejected or withdrawn.

Fewer than half of failed asylum seekers are removed from the UK and abuse of the system is rife, a study claims.

Ex-director of immigration enforcement, David Wood, warns that Britain’s asylum system is “not very effective” - straight from the horses’ mouth!

The UK asylum system attracts in the region of 15,000 applications a year from “refugees” who ultimately have no valid claim.

Fewer than half of these people are subsequently removed, according to Mr Wood’s report.

Now ministers are being urged to double the number of refugees resettled each year in Britain, with a quarter allocated to African asylum seekers. Can you believe it?

There’s no point asking Doctor Molly Cato-Smith, MEP, for further comment regarding how this government has immigration all under control.

It appears even she has given up.

Jeff Adams, Bloomsbury, Swindon

Not lovin’ it

I suppose we ought to be generous and allow councillors a moment of two to bask in the seeming successes made toward achieving the 39 pledges to improve our town. (SA 6 March)

However, we should remember these self-set targets are also self-assessed.

That is the people who set the exam questions are also the people answering the question.

Amazingly they get to mark the paper as well!

It’s difficult to imagine how they could possibly fail to achieve success based on those criteria.

Just to make things even easier it appears councillors revised the targets in late 2018.

One can only wonder how that affected the outcome and deliverables so beloved of council officers.

For an example of real on track performance I suggest David Renard’s cabinet has a chat with the management team at McDonalds.

It seems that after two years planning, the redevelopment of the Greenbridge restaurant will be completed within budget and ahead of time.

I think the people of Swindon know better than to believe any pledge made by a politician.

As for self-marking your homework – if it wasn’t so sad you really could have a good laugh at the councillors who consider the voting public to be gullible enough to believe everything they say.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive, Swindon

Left against EU

The letter by Howard March (26 Feb) suggests that it is a right wing policy to be against the EU.

This not true.

There have been many left wingers who were against the Common Market.

Tony Ben, Michael Foot, Peter Shore, Eric Varley, Barbara Castle and Dennis Skinner, Bob Crow, the Communist Party and the Communist Morning Star were all left wingers.

They were also very much against Britain’s EU membership.

Steve Halden, Beaufort Green, Swindon