EVESHAM Labour chiefs have claimed more awareness of the impact of Brexit could contribute to a shift in local views.
As Prime Minister Theresa May embarks on a nationwide tour in a bid to sell her deal to leave the European Union ahead of a crunch parliamentary vote on December 11, Labour members hit the High Street to gauge local opinions on Saturday (November 24).
Volunteers co-ordinated by Evesham Labour Party joined many others up and down the country to invite passers-by to share their views about Brexit, using the nationally-devised idea of a ‘Brexitometer’.
More than 70 people agreed to show their responses to five key questions using coloured stickers on a chart.
Only 10 agreed Brexit was going well. A large majority didn’t agree Brexit would be good for either local jobs or health and social care, despite bold claims made during the referendum campaign.
Similarly, very few felt that Brexit would be good for Northern Ireland. Opinion was more divided as to whether there should be a People’s Vote on the final deal, though a majority felt there should be
David Haslam, chair of Evesham Labour Party, said: “As media coverage of the negotiations has increased it appears there is greater awareness of what the EU contributes to our society, locally and nationally, in grant support for depressed areas, workers in agriculture and the NHS, securing markets for our products, higher environmental standards and being part of a large, diverse and inclusive community.”
Voters in Wychavon voted by 57.9 per cent to 42.1 per cent to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum and speaking earlier this month when Mrs May unveiled her proposals, both Evesham MP Nigel Huddleston and Pershore’s MP Harriett Baldwin backed the Prime Minister.
“I do believe that the deal does deliver on the vast majority of things that people who voted leave said they wanted. It takes back control of our borders and ends free movement, we stop paying billions of pounds to the EU each year, it ends the jurisdiction of the European Court (ECJ) and we come out of the common agricultural policy, and out of the common fisheries policy – and we avoid the need for a hard border in Northern Ireland,” Mr Huddleston said.
Pershore’s MP Harriett Baldwin said: “Every time I chat to local people, farmers and businesses, they tell me that what they want is certainty and this document is testament to the huge amount of work that has been put in to secure on key issues like citizen’s rights, immigration and trade.”
