Doncaster Voices: Would you change your vote on leaving the EU?

FREDERIKA ROBERTS

With the government discussing preparations you’d only expect in war time (stockpiling food, medicines and blood) in case of a no-deal Brexit, and their

appalling track record in negotiating over the last two years, it is irresponsible and bordering on criminal for politicians to keep on pushing ahead with this

wilful act of self-harm. In a democracy, people are allowed to change their minds, especially when new information becomes available. I’m a non-British

EU citizen. After building a life, family and business here for the last 28 years, I will be stripped of rights next March, yet didn’t get a vote in the referendum.

I love this country. That’s why I support a People’s Vote on the final deal, including the option to remain (if I could vote, I’d vote remain). The British

public deserve better; they deserve a final say.

KIERON FRANKS, DONCASTER YOUTH COUNCILLOR

Regardless of whether you are a Brexiteer or a Remainer, it has to be said that there was not enough information on the actual implications of how Brexit

would affect the economy, the millions of EU citizens resident in the UK and UK expatriates living in the EU.

There was also active disinformation that influenced people’s decisions. This means that the original referendum is in the very least unrepresentative, if not

invalid. If we were given a second Brexit referendum once our terms of exit are agreed, the nation would be much more capable of making a informed decision. Hundreds of thousands of young people who did not have the right to vote in 2016 would also be able to contribute to a decision that will affect their future. Surely the correct decision is more important than being supposedly ‘undemocratic’?

HANNAH ROBERTS

Having only turned 18 last year, I was unable to vote in the referendum, but I would have voted remain and still would now.

Doncaster has received a lot of regional development funding from the EU, and I have not yet heard anything from our government as to how they plan to replace this money for our town, and other - especially northern - towns.

If we crash out of the EU with no deal, we won’t “be able to do anything we want”, as some people believe; rather we will run short of many things, but what concerns me most is medicines.

Think of all the people in and out hospital who rely on medicine(s) to get from one day to the next. A no deal Brexit could very well kill people, my sister

included, and this makes me so angry. We need a people’s vote with the option to remain.

BILL MORRISON

When I cast my vote I voted for controlled immigration, control of our borders, our laws, as I believe the 17 plus million others did.

Solve the issues that concern people, we don’t need scaremongering about trade wars, tariffs etc.

The EU are scared stiff that others will follow our lead so they will make it as hard as possible for us or anyone to leave the club.

We have taken on and beaten European bullies before (remember World War One and World War Two.) France, Belgium and a few others were glad to see us then.

Britain stand up, show resolve, determination and bring Britain home to our shores. It’s time our flag meant something in the world again.

Germany wants to dominate, only this time by a different tactic. Change my vote? No, never.

FRANK ARROWSMITH

All the leading Political parties are badly fractured by the brexit issue the majority of the arguments are based on long term ideology I make no apologies I voted out and followed my long-held views that the great European experiment underpinned with the failed euro was not what the UK voted for many years ago.

The European Commission is appointed, not elected, and it is unaccountable to any of the member states, the European Parliament is not a real government it is not a legislature; its members don’t offer manifestoes nor carry out the ideas they propose to voters. During its years in existence many carriages have been added to the gravy train with many more to come. We make a very healthy contribution to the EU money we should decide how its spent not unelected bureaucrats. My vote remains unchanged.

DAN FELL, CEO, DONCASTER CHAMBER

The Chamber network has a Brexit Risk Register that includes 24 straightforward questions – posed to Government on behalf of business – on the issues that matter most to the private sector. The questions are on topics such as: funding, tax, regulation, borders, people, trade, and standards. Against those criteria, Government currently has 22 red ratings, 2 amber and 0 green. Any Project Manager working in industry with a Risk Register that was 92% red would not be in a job for long!

At the time of the EU Referendum, the Chamber network pushed hard for both sides to stick to facts, to remember the importance of the economy and to provide practical answers for business. Two years on we are pushing for exactly the same things.

I wouldn’t change the way the Chamber network has relentlessly championed the needs of business in this debate. I would, however, change pretty much everything about the way national politicians have conducted themselves over the last 24 months and the disregard they have had for business communities across the UK. It’s time to park the venality and answer those outstanding 22 questions!

CHRISTINE MITCHELL

Certainly NOT!

I am living ‘on the cut’ between Goole and Doncaster and I voted remain for so many solid reasons.

Successive governments have neglected Doncaster, the north east, wales, Cornwall, Lincolnshire, the north west, keeping the huge wealth of Britain in the south. Some of those areas are among the poorest in the whole of the EU! The EU has been sending money to those areas but the Sun, Daily Mail nor the government tells us this! The government wants to use the EU as a scapegoat, blaming it constantly for its own poor management and the rich, right-wing owners of many newspapers want us to leave the EU so that they can abolish workers rights.

The EU has benefited Britain in so many ways (we used to be the poor man of Europe) but has only benefited the south because our government hasn’t passed on many of those advantages to us. The best brains of Britain have been working in and with the EU on some great projects, proposing many of the laws which stop countries and big companies from cheating their fellow member states.

We have always had sovereignty - as does every EU country.

We have always had control over immigration from outside the EU. The government lied about this.

We need immigrants from the EU to work in our hospitals, restaurants and the fields. They pay tax! Which then should be spent on hospitals, schools and housing, not on MPs’ ridiculous expenses. The UK chose not to control immigration of EU workers - other countries do control EU immigration so that no one can stay in another country without a job.

We are stronger together with the other European countries. We do not want to be the puppet of Donald Trump!

The UK already trades with countries all over the world because the EU has trade deals. Post Brexit the UK will not have a trade deal with any country. And why trade with countries on the other side of the world when there are 500 million people next door?!

I am afraid of right-wing violence, poverty and a breakdown of society. All brought about by the rich and powerful so that they can become richer. They do not care about the people. We should stay in the EU and force our government to spread the wealth evenly.

We can be leaders rather than a pitiful country begging for favours.

More than 40 years of work together wasted and needing be unraveled and recreated at huge cost in our own government departments. We will be shut out of so many things.

Retreating into a Little England island mentality.

I am so so sad and ashamed.

Christine Mitchell