Better late than never, Jonathan Freedland (Rachel Reeves is studiously ignoring the cause of Britain’s woes: the Brexit-shaped hole in the roof, 21 November). Brexit was supposed to “take back control” and sort out the immigration crisis. In both respects, it failed. Polish plumbers have been replaced by Afghans in asylum hotels, and the UK has forfeited the mechanism to return them to the EU. Meanwhile, with trade, investment and labour choked off, the economy grinds along at the bottom.
The Labour government is petrified of reopening the debate for fear of losing votes to Reform UK, but responsibility for Brexit failures needs to be laid squarely at Nigel Farage’s door. Through its 2024 pact on migration and asylum, the EU has a robust, collective way of dealing with migration; on our own, we are as likely to stop the boats as Canute was to turn back the waves. A recent poll showed that 57% of voters would return to the EU.
A public inquiry on the management of Brexit would set the record straight, and maybe the BBC could run an impartial series for the 10th anniversary of the vote, making it easier for the government to show the courage and leadership to take us back into the EU.
Robert Gildea
Professor emeritus of modern history, University of Oxford
Jonathan Freedland is right to point the finger at Brexit as the cause of much of our current economic difficulties, and has some good suggestions for addressing this.
However, I disagree with his assertion that we don’t have the money to fund our ailing public services. As the sixth-richest country in the world we absolutely do have the money. But it is in the hands of a very few powerful people and corporations, many of whom pay very little tax. It’s surely time we taxed them more fairly.
The “difficult decisions” that politicians bang on about making are difficult only for the poorest and most vulnerable. Let’s take the heat off those people and make those who wouldn’t notice the loss off a few of their millions pay their share.
Rachel Foggitt
Brighton
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