Mione Goldspink's article for the Flyer, May 2018
Local Matters with Mione Goldspink May, 2018
The costs of Brexit are becoming more obvious. The devaluation of the Pound has already caused higher household bills. The Government's own impact assessments of 4 possible scenarios all show that Britain will be poorer after we leave the EU, and each scenario will cost the British Taxpayer millions of £s each week. The costs are after we have stopped paying our membership fees. The cheapest scenario would cost us £260 Million and the most expensive £1.25 Billion per week. So, it's official - Brexit will cost us all money :- money which could have been spent on the NHS. Our local Hospital could well be affected
Our local Hospital could also be affected by the difficulty in recruiting staff. Across the UK as a whole, 11% of Doctors and 4% of Nurses are from other EU Countries. Many of them are really worried about their future right to stay here. New Doctors and Nurses will find the UK a much less appealing place to come to for work. Our NHS will be diminished and our local Hospital may become seriously understaffed.
Trade will be seriously affected by Brexit if we leave the Customs Union. This Customs Union ensures that we have Friction-less Trade with our EU Partners. This is so important for many of our industries, and especially the motor industry. Different car parts are made in different countries and cross the Channel many times before being assembled into one vehicle and reaching the point of sale. The Customs Union is also vital for trade between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Is Brexit worth these hefty costs? Now that we know some of the costs and consequences of Brexit, I think that the people should have a meaningful Vote on the final deal. I believe that the Leave campaigners were mistaken when they claimed that leaving the EU would solve so many of our own domestic problems. On the contrary, I think that they would be exacerbated. To sustain the NHS we need a dedicated tax, and to control our borders and immigration we need a properly staffed Home Office and Border Control Office. These should keep and maintain proper records of everyone who enters or leaves our country. These matters are already under our own control, but, as the Windrush injustices clearly demonstrate, our Government departments have failed us miserably. We should lobby our Government to take control, now.
Mione Goldspink
Chairman, Bishop's Stortford Liberal Democrats
email: mionegoldspink@hotmail.com