YP Letters: Brexit fears over finance unfounded

JUST over three weeks ago, we were all being warned by George Osborne that if we voted for Brexit millions of jobs might be lost, we would all be £4,300 per year worse off, world trade would vanish, we would be left isolated, the stock market would crash and all the rest.

Fortunately few listened to “Project Fear” and the majority voted to leave the EU.

The truth is that stock markets have fallen, but not the British one. One major fear was what of the vital banking industry, threatening to pull out of the UK and move to the EU.

Despite putting over £1.5m into the “Remain” campaign, three major financial institutions have now declared that they 
will not be leaving the UK, 
these being Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan, all of whom have pledged to ensure that “the City of London remains the world’s dominant financial centre” because “Britain is one of the most attractive places in the world in which to do business”.

The EU is rolling out the ‘red carpet’ in attempts to attract these financial giants to them, but with both the French and German stock markets in trouble, the disaster of the 
euro currency and all the problems in southern Europe, it will not be enough to tempt them away.

All that’s needed now, and daily the need grows more urgent, is for the new PM to trigger Article 50 and get us out as fast as possible so that our genuine recovery can begin.

From: S Glossop, Oughtibridge, Sheffield.

I AM in my 70th year and voted Remain in the EU Referendum, believing the EU is far from perfect but that it offers the prospect of a more prosperous, open and progressive society for the future than any feasible alternative.

I have since heard people give a wide range of reasons for voting Leave, many of them which are difficult to attribute to our membership of the EU. Offering a binary choice on a question as complex as this was a major error of judgement by David Cameron.

HL Menken, a famous former columnist of the Baltimore Sun once said: “ all complex questions in life have a simple answer – and they are always wrong”. How true this appears to be with regard to our future national prospects.

Leaders of the Leave campaign are now telling us that a bright future lies ahead, but who will drive this Renaissance?

Looking at the demographic analysis of how people voted it is hard to escape the conclusion that the majority of those who one would expect to be able make a strong positive contribution to the future prosperity and well-being of this country voted “Remain” and are probably currently feeling demoralised about what is happening.

My advice to them is, do not give up, lobby all politicians hard for a sensible renegotiation of our relationship with the EU and vote Liberal Democrat, the only party which has consistently been in the past, and remains now, a pro- European, economically prudent and socially progressive party.

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

Of course barristers will try to persuade us that Brexit is not legally binding. They are the ones making millions out of EU cases.

Our Legal Aid bill is growing larger and larger as these people milk it for all it is worth by taking on cases of people trying to avoid deportation. As we come out of the EU and repeal the EU’s Human Rights Act the money pit will be closed to some extent and this will make it harder for them to make an easy dollar.

Humanity in the raw

From: Richard Claxton, Oak Close, Filey.

Congratulations to all those who made Spencer Tunick’s Sea of Hull such a massive success.

The streets of the city looked stunning in the early hours of Saturday morning and it was wonderful to see so 
many spectacular images 
rolling out across the world’s media.

But it was the atmosphere – filled with warmth, friendliness, humour and positivity – that made it feel, for me, a huge privilege to be involved.

To be part of a very diverse group of thousands, gathering together to instantly co-operate in the production of art was inspiring, life-affirming and liberating. It was a simply beautiful day.

As others have said, initial nerves and apprehensions evaporated within seconds 
once the cue to strip and apply paint was given.

Impromptu teams and pairings formed to make 
sure the painting was to Spencer’s exacting standards: bodies were checked for coverage; strangers painted strangers.

The unifying feeling seemed to be one of “Let’s do a good job”.

At a time when we need, in our society, a much greater sense of hope and togetherness, such collaborations can inspire and point the way.

Hull has been a “good news” story around the world this week. I have never been more proud of my home town.

Football the crying game

From: Eddie Peart, Broom Crescent, Rotherham.

Full grown football players 
and fans were seen crying 
their hearts out after the 
final match in the recent 
football finals in Paris. My grandfather had a word for 
that.