TO SAVE space for other correspondents, I won’t respond to each of Mr Morton’s points, in his interesting letter on matters regarding the coming Referendum (March 24).
Suffice to mention that nobody disputes the fact that the UK pays more into the EU than it gets back, or that they export more to us than we do to them.
These imbalances have been the case since we joined the then Common Market.
Some consider it a price worth paying; not me. We hear the same old scare stories regarding job losses and cancelled inward investment that we heard before joining the ERM and the Euro argument, usually from the same people. There will be risks, in or out.
I would like to respond specifically to his points regarding the mass immigration that has taken place over the last 60 years, and which continues today.
During that time, we all know that the true figures have been massaged or fiddled.
Mr Blair’s open door policy just one of many. The latest record net inflow totals for both EU and ROW are at record levels. Surprise, surprise.
I have often discussed this with friends in Wiltshire, some who say they don’t see any problem and, like Mr Morton, use the argument that the health service wouldn’t run without immigration (they, of course, don’t say mass migration).
They used to use the same argument about the Post Office or the railways. Of course they don’t actually live day to day with the social consequences of mass immigration.
If they did, they would not just see the immense pressures on housing and all the public services, but the fundamental change to the fabric of this country.
I used to say to our friends, come up to London and see. Perhaps Mr Morton would like to, not just the West End but West London as it is now.
BARRY WIMBLEDON
West Lavington
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