After a fairly narrow vote to leave the European Union in the referendum, much is still to be decided about our future relationship. We are working to see the UK retains as many of the advantages of EU membership as possible and keep Britain at the heart of Europe.
Salisbury for Europe has campaigned since 2016 to remain in the European Union. Now we have a proposed Withdrawal Agreement explaining what exiting the EU really means for the country, we are also campaigning for a People’s Vote.
Polls now show that the majority of your constituents in Salisbury wish to remain a member of the European Union (i). The ongoing confusion and chaos surrounding Brexit is creating massive uncertainty for all your constituents. National news reports and our own research over the last couple of months worry us deeply that leaving the European Union means:
- Local Salisbury businesses already re-registering their business and paying corporation tax in the EU and not here as they are relocating to be inside the Single Market.
- Wiltshire farmers livelihoods being severely impacted as exports to our main market are uncompetitive. e.g. EU tariffs on dairy are on average over 35%, frozen beef attracting tariffs of 166% etc (ii)
- A crisis in the NHS as EU medical staff leave or simply do not come anymore with Salisbury predicted to be in the top 20 most affected hospitals.
- Large scale job losses across the country. e.g. Airbus (100,000 people in the South West), car manufacturers (e.g. Nissan), banking, tech companies etc. With approaching quarter of a million jobs already estimated to have been lost. (Source: Brexit Job Losses/Hickmott)
- According to Government reports a shrinking of the economy with resultant job losses and fall in wages for each and every Brexit scenario.
- Cancer treatments being postponed, and the NHS already wasting limited resources by having to stockpile fridges and medicines due to the threat of medicine shortages.
- Food shortages in the supermarkets as outlined in the recent public letter from the heads of Sainsbury’s, Asda, M&S, Co-op and Waitrose, with a new government minister to deal with food supply issues.
- An unparalleled removal of 68 million EU and UK citizens rights to study, live and work across Europe.
- Democracy egregiously flouted in an advisory referendum where MPs lied and the Leave groups broke Electoral Law and Data Protection Law, with funders currently under investigation by the National Crime Agency, all being ignored by the government.
- Whitehall considering martial law in the event of riots if No Deal.
- A break up of the UK with strong signals that Scotland will become independent, and the deepest concerns about a return to violence in Northern Ireland if a border imposed.
There is no other way to say it – this is a national emergency. It is painfully clear to one and all that Parliament is in chaos, and the government has lost control of politics.
We believe it is imperative now that you put the economic and social interests of Salisbury constituents and the country above party politics.
This means:
- Supporting, or tabling yourself (or with colleagues) any amendment on February 14th which removes No Deal as an option.
- Withdrawing Article 50.
- Calling a People’s Vote so the country can decide its own future.
Mr Glen, as our MP your constituents would like you to tell us:
- how you will prevent No Deal.
- how your vote to support Mrs May’s Withdrawal Agreement in Parliament will benefit your constituents over remaining in the European Union.
(i) Survation (November 2018). Largest independent study on Brexit found that only 47.6% of Wiltshire residents would vote Leave. YouGov (Dec 2018). Found the highest preference when asked to rank Remain, Deal, No Deal in order of preference in Salisbury was Remain over any other option. 44% higher than either No Deal or the May Withdrawal Agreement.
(ii) Wiltshire Farms employ 10% of the South West’s entire workforce. https://www.nfuonline.com/news/staff-blogs/a-fair-deal-for-wiltshire-farmers/