The ‘IN or OUT’ EU Referendum provided all of the forgotten communities the length and breadth of England with a way at last to get somebody to listen to them and then to actually do something about their plight.
The reason that the Euro gravy-train ran into the buffers was that far too many of England’s 530 or so MPs adopted, a shade too readily, the Government’s ‘Remain’ stance because they thought it was the safe, easy bet. Worse still, they had failed to keep in touch with their constituents, let alone attempt to do anything whatsoever about the effect that uncontrolled immigration is having, or perceived to be having, on the lives of the country’s indigenous population.
Lives have been, and are still being, adversely affected by disproportionately harsh austerity measures, very few real jobs, suppressed wages, insufficient housing, overstretched schools, waning local council support, inadequate social services, library closures, and longer and longer waiting times for GP and hospital appointments.
Nicely ensconced in the Westminster political bubble, these MPs have forgotten, or worse still were simply unaware, of how the vast majority of people in England try to maintain some degree of dignity, while attempting to manage as best they can their financial affairs and to go about their daily lives.
Let’s hope this sharp lesson won’t be too quickly forgotten!
Colin Hadley, Exeter
