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No deal opportunity?

As ever I am indebted to my fellow correspondent for correcting an assertion I made with regard to the EU referendum having the largest voter turnout.

He is perfectly correct that the General Election of 1992 broke a number of records, including a record 33,614,074 votes being cast and although that was only 62,092 more than the referendum result, Steve is right and I was wrong.

However, I’m not so in thrall to Steve’s assiduous approach in searching out such matters (important though they are) that I will simply allow him to perpetuate the canard that it was only the leavers who practised the dark art of political exaggeration in the run up to the referendum.

It is too easy to forget the dire predictions of mass unemployment, crashing house prices, increased costs to every household budget culminating in a cost of £4,300 per annum and the need for an emergency budget which would deliver tax rises, increases in petrol and alcohol duties, NHS spending cuts of £2.5bn, cuts of £1.2bn in education and five per cent cuts in policing.

I agree with Steve that telling lies is the fashionable thing to do in politics, and like Steve I abhor the fact that politicians lie with a bare faced arrogance which shames them and insults the electorate.

Unlike Steve, I really do believe that a supposed no deal Brexit (and is there really such a thing?) offers opportunities to a country which left the ERM despite cries that it would cause permanent damage to the economy.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive, Swindon

Not impressed yet

The four candidates who are standing for Councillor in Haydon Wick have not stated anything that instills confidence in me to warrant my humble vote.

The Labour candidate was only interested in quoting David and Goliath and trying to name and shame David Renard over £4 million quid. I would have thought that monies of this magnitude would have to approved by all parties seating on the council all councillors that’s Conservative, Labour, UKIP, Greens.

David Renard states all his past achievements. Yes lovely, but what do you have in mind for the future David?

UKIP candidate Ed Gerrard is right about senior citizens’ welfare and being funded from central government.

I agree why should someone pay his/her taxes and national insurance contributions all their working lives and past retirement age, go into all that debt to buy a house only to have the government take it all away. I agree to a contribution towards it, not 100 per cent of everything you have.

The Green Party candidate Jacek Smarzlik? Sorry Jacek but less said spring to mind. At the end of the day shall I bother to vote? Not at the moment.

John L Crook, Haydon Wick, Swindon

Brexit blank sheet

I’m writing in response to Neil Mercer’s comments about having a second referendum to fill in the Brexit blank sheet of paper so that the people can decide.

I’d like to remind him that David Cameron said: “ It was a once in lifetime referendum, in or out, of which the outcome will be implemented. It most certainly wasn’t advisory.

There appears to be an assumption by those campaigning for a second referendum that the outcome will be different. But how does Neil or any other person know? Or is it just arrogance?

More importantly, if the outcome was still the same, i.e. leave, would he and others like him accept it? Or would they want best out of five.

Alan Wilson, Shapwick Close, Nythe