I, for one, take issue with the use of the memories of fallen soldiers within the ever-volatile Brexit debate as something to support our impending departure.
As Mr Jackson accurately points out, said people indeed, “gave their todays, for our tomorrows”. What he neglects, however, is the people to whom “our” refers to. Our war dead were not fighting solely for these British Isles, but for the entirety of Europe and, indeed, the world, in the fight against fascism.
He says not to let these peoples’ deaths to have been in vain, and I agree wholeheartedly. Let us continue to oppose fascism – these days taking shape in the form of politicians that lie and cheat their way into power; politicians that openly use the threat of the removal of freedoms and rights in an effort to further their own agenda.
He acts as though No Deal is nothing to be concerned by – in reality, it’s only inconsequential if you don’t really understand the problems it faces. We risk crashing out of the European Union with no border agreements, which will slow our movement across borders, both for individuals and goods; we risk having to impose a hard border between The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which a number of experts have repeatedly warned could see the return of The Troubles, to name just two realistic outcomes of No Deal.
The average person stands to lose out greatly in the event, both in terms of their own personal finances and their public services if the government has to direct funds elsewhere. We’re already in an area with a poor NHS record – are we really willing to risk allowing it to become worse as a result of our pursuit for the freedoms we already have?
When individuals like Nigel Farage, who with his Nazi-esque anti-migration poster opposed the freedom of movement afforded by EU membership, has ensured that he and his family will not have that freedom taken away from his own family; or when specific businessmen and women argue that Brexit means booming business for Britain, yet move their major offices overseas; or when “top politicians” deny the incensed words they spoke prior to the vote – most recently regarding Turkey – only then can we see the matter clearly.
When the architects of Brexit have gone from telling us that we’ll all be better off, to telling us we’ll break even, to telling us that it ‘won’t be the apocalypse’, and our own government – whom we are supposed to be able to trust – are telling us that any form of Brexit will leave us worse off, anyone that still truly supports it now needs to take a good look at why.
We were sold a lie, and the only reason we are being bombarded by rhetoric designed to make us feel guilty for even considering changing our minds, is because its architects know that it’s a fantasy built upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand, and will never stand the tests of time, truth and decency.
The architects should be ashamed of themselves. And if they’re not, I’m certainly ashamed of them.
Jordan Swallow
Spalding
