downsmail.co.uk IT is nowalmost 18months sincewe
inMaidstone andMalling cast a very decisive vote in favour of Brexit. So did the rest of Kent. Howdo you viewthings now? It isworth reminding ourselves of the
How do you see Brexit now? MailMarks
DENNISFOWLE President
dfowle2011@aol.com
voting figures. InMaidstone itwas 52,365 (58.8%) for Brexit and 36,762 to remain. In Tonbridge andMalling the votingwas 41,229 for leave and 32,792 to remain. Across the rest of Kent, every area bar TunbridgeWells voted to leave –Ashford, Shepway, Sevenoaks Canterbury, Dartford, Dover, Swale, Gravesham, Thanet andMedway. The total Kent vote to leavewas 576,607, just about 60%. There can be no argumentwhat Kent demands. Recent surveys showthe national
majority for Brexit is hardening and, in addition,manywho voted remain now want to see the job done, sowemove on. Stated EU ambitions in the lastweeks for more federalismand greater controls over nationmembers are not going downwell on this side of the English Channel. I did not forecast a Brexit vote in
Maidstone until the last fewdays before the referendum. But as I took strawpolls among groups of friends and atmeetings I sawa powerful trend emerging. On a couple of occasions all 20 or so declared for Brexit. When I told some senior politicians they did not believeme! So howdo those same Brexiteers in
Kent feel now? I have spoken tomany – and they aremainly frustrated, becoming increasingly angry andwith rebellious thoughts. They are evenmore determinedwemust quit an expensive and expansive European political clubwe did not vote to join and they see increasingly threatening ourway of life and future prosperity. The serious impacts of immigration and
Not the Brexit Iwanted
ASA Leave supporter, I amhaving some misgivings about theway things are going in relation to leaving the EU. It seems the reported extra £350million
pounds aweek for theNHS has turned out to be nonsense; David Davies says the immigrationmight have to actually go up; soonwewon’t be able to buy fruit and vegetables because there is no one to pick them;we shall be trying tomake trade dealswith USA,who, judging by the Bombardier case, are not going to be easy people to dealwith andwhowillwant us to buy chlorinated chickens, genetically modified crops andmeat full of antibiotics. Also, I understandwe shall be excluded
fromsome important science research projects andwon’t be able share important intelligence on terroristswith the rest of Europe. Some reassurance, please. Jeremy Staker, via email
Signs not good for future DENNIS Fowle reaffirms his Panglossian belief that Britain’s impending departure fromthe European Unionwill turn out for
46 Maidstone November 2017
major overcrowding in our area, especially somuch extra housing, congested roads and on our hard-pressed and under-funded local services, aremore deeply ingrained than ever. The demand is for sovereignty – and nomore European Court of Justice. Most expected to be free of the EU after
two years of giving notice. The potential extra two-year transitional period does not go down at allwell – butmost appreciate this is a complex issue to help safeguard both the UK and our friends in other European countries and are listening to the case nowbeing projected by the British Government. Butmost believe the EU is not really
negotiating – just trying to prevaricate to force us into submission to remain. They see a fearful EU set on a course of punishing, bullying and extorting as muchmoney as possible, noma�er the damage both to their own remaining national economies and ours. No one has forgo�en TheresaMay’s
statement – “No deal is be�er than a bad deal” – and is expecting her to change her approach and start soon playing this prolonged and unedifying game on our terms. It is our decision andwemust be the piper playing this tune. There is strong suspicion about the two-
year transitional period and the desire of some remainers in Government to extend it. The PrimeMinister says it is set to a firmdeadline (2021). Many fear others will see it as a General Election issue in 2022. If the Conservatives agree that
the best. However, earlier in his piece he speaks of
the “worrying shortages” in theNHS (“Bravo Brexit…Big GP Changes”). These shortagesmaywell growworse should doctors and nurses in Eurpose or elsewhere in theworld for thatma�er, perceive this country as unwelcoming towards strangers, howeverwell-qualified. A deepening recruitment crisis is looming
for theNHS and the young,whomainly voted to stay in the EU,will not readily forgive, still less thank those ofMr Fowle’s persuasion for landing themin this self- inflictedmess. K G Banks,Maidstone
EUwillmake example of us
IHAVE read your columnist Dennis Fowle’s views onmembership of the EU and subsequent Brexitwith some considerable interest in the pastmonths. Iwas doubtful that his predictions of
escapewere likely to happen but, indeed, theywere. In fact,much of the feedback I got fromfriends and colleaguesmirrored those hewas experiencing. But nagging at the back ofmymindwas
close to the democratic ground. They must be receiving the same strong messages increasingly coming tome.
Stage fright DOES anyone sharemy long-term
frustrations trying tomake online theatre bookingswith theAssembly Hall, TunbridgeWells? Imade a strong protestmore than a
year ago that the sitewas very user unfriendly. I have nowrun in to problems again andwhen I switched to the phone, the staff did admit to other complaints and a “clunky” site. By comparison, bookings at
Maidstone’sHazli� seemfast, friendly and efficient.
Garden of England ITmay not have been a hot, sunny
summer but I think in Kent themixture of warmth and rain hasmade our gardens and countryside about themost beautiful and productive I can remember. It started in early springwith a prolific
daffodil season andwent on fromthere. Our vegetables and soft fruits cropped
very heavily, followed bymassive plum and apple harvests. Shrubs and others plants took off and
the challengewas to cut themback to ensure all had their allo�ed space. Andwith no long hot and dry spells,
gardens retained their green freshness duringAugust and September. Therewas no rest for lawnmowers! I have always loved Kent. This year it
has really been amagnificent “Garden of England”.
that,when push came to shove, the British peoplewould be swayed by Project Fear or se�le for the status quo. I justwasn’t convinced the British people,
facedwith the choice,wouldmake the leap. I thought itwould be rather like the Sco�ish referendum,when the voters chosewhat they know, however imperfect itmight be. But your columnist is spot on. Don’t
believe the hysterical anti-Brexitmedia. Peoplewho voted out, stillwant out. Those who voted to remain, nowjustwant to get onwith it. However, ifwe think the EU is going to
roll over and let us leavewithoutmaking it hard – in order to deter other nations from heading to the exits – then think again. The EU is going tomake an example of Britain and, let’s face it,with somany countries and somany clingers-on immersed in vested interests, you can hardly blame them. That iswhy I voted out. Itwas nothing to
dowith immigration. Itwas nothing to do with sovereignty or lawmaking. Itwas that I have come to the conclusion that the EU exists for its own sake and has long since outlived its usefulness. It is also a colossalwaste ofmoney –
route, it could be a very long time before they see power again – andmanywill welcome an energetic re-emergence of the eloquent Nigel Farage and Ukip. I trust politicians have their ears very
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