Brexit: a big loss for Britain

I read Michael Harris’s depressing letter (Herald, February 9) with increasing disgust. Invoking the war in the already toxic Brexit debate seems to me to be the height of bad taste.

My memories of that period are somewhat different. I was born on a farm in 1942 so my earliest memories are of just after the war. A prison camp using part of my father’s land was erected by the British military authorities in the early 1940s and housed German POWs who were not allowed to return to Germany until 1947. I well remember various German POWS coming to work on the farm and we established some good friendships. My first toys were indeed made by some of the prisoners whose ingenuity with the limited materials and tools at their disposal was quite amazing.

I find it incredible that now, 73 years after the war ended, we have to keep dragging up the war. The EU was founded so as to ensure that war would never take place in Europe again and, with the integration that has taken place since then as a result of the EU, I believe most people would consider that war between the major powers in Europe is now inconceivable. That is something that has to be preserved.

What on earth he means by negotiating ‘a joint victory for the future of the UK and Europe’, goodness only knows. It is already clear from all the economic surveys carried out both by the government and international institutions such as the OECD that Brexit will mean a big loss for Britain as well as a lesser one for Europe.

I’m almost inclined to agree with Jeremy Paxman that no-one over 65 should be able to vote, especially in a referendum. On second thoughts, let’s make that 77. At least that would ensure that those voting would be around long enough to live with the consequences of their actions.