Donald Tusk meant no insult by his words - but who is twisting the rhetoric?

How typical of a Brexiter to try to twist the words of Donald Tusk to suit their agenda!

Cllr Alan Latham (Letters 22.02.19) has interpreted Mr Tusk’s comment to mean an insult to, as he put it, ‘17.4 million Brexit voters and their MPs’, but this is clearly not the case.

Donald Tusk said: ‘I’ve been wondering what a special place in Hell looks like for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it safely.’

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It is clearly evident that he is NOT talking about people who voted leave.

He is referring to those such as:

Liam Fox who told us before the EU referendum that: “The Free Trade Agreement we will do with the EU should be the easiest in human history.” John Redwood who said: “Getting out of the EU can be quick and easy - the UK holds most of the cards in any negotiation.”

Boris Johnson who said: “There is no plan for no deal as we’re going to get a great deal.”

Michael Gove who said: “The day after we vote to leave, we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want.”

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David Davis who said: “There will be no down side to Brexit, only a considerable upside.”

Or Vote Leave itself: “Taking back control is a careful change - we will negotiate the terms of a new deal before we start any legal process to leave”. And Leave EU who said: “Project Fear claims Nissan would scale back UK operation could not have been further from the truth” and, “They said business would flee if we voted leave, but instead we’re seeing great British innovators like Dyson investing in the UK’s future.”

And now we see business setting up additional companies in the EU (Lloyds of London, Japanese banks Nomura and Daiwa) or moving their head offices (Panasonic, UBS) and staff (Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Societe Generale, Credit Suisse, Commonwealth Bank of Australia) to an EU country in order to minimise the damage they expect from Brexit. Barclays, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup are all moving assets out of the UK because of Brexit.

Then there is:

Nigel Farage who said: “In a 52-48 referendum this would be unfinished business by a long way,” and “I never promised it would be a huge success,” and ‘If Brexit is a disaster, I will go and live abroad, I’ll go and live somewhere else” - something we all had the opportunity to do in 27 other countries with relative ease until Brexit came along!

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David Davis who said: “If a democracy cannot change it’s mind it ceases to be a democracy,” but now opposes a Peoples Vote on the Brexit deal.

Jacob Rees-Mogg who said in 2011, “We could have two referendums. As it happens it might make more sense to have the second referendum after the renegotiation is completed” but now also opposes a Peoples Vote on the Brexit deal.

Andrea Ledsom who said in 2013, “I don’t think the UK should leave the EU. I think it would be a disaster for our economy and it would lead to a decade of economic and political uncertainty” but then three years later urged people to Vote Leave.

And of course our Prime Minister who said before the EU referendum: “Remaining a member of the EU means we will be more secure from crime and terrorism” and “I believe it is clearly in our national interest to remain a member of the EU,” but is now pressing full steam ahead with Brexit, with the prospect of a No Deal Brexit becoming ever closer.

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These are the people Donald Tusk was referring to, those who promoted Brexit without a plan!

Finally, I find it interesting that Cllr Latham refers to 17.4 million British subjects. He may like to check his passport as we have not been ‘subjects’ for many years, we are Bristish Citizens, but then this should come as no surprise from someone who clearly thinks the past was so much better than the present (and indeed the future) as most Brexit supporters I meet seem to say, refrerring to how great the UK was before we joined the EU.

G Green

South Rd

Newhaven