LETTER: We still care about others

The UK's financial contributions to the EU were repeatedly presented as an argument against EU membership.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Aug 2016, 08:00 BST

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As well as disregarding the less-direct benefits of EU membership, such arguments appear to be based on the assumption that citizens of the UK should feel no moral imperative to help anyone outside our own borders, let alone take pride in doing so.

Sadly, this way of thinking appears to be increasingly commonly expressed in the media and by politicians, helping to legitimise isolationist and xenophobic attitudes.

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The recent appointment of Boris Johnson, who was a prominent spokesperson for such views, as Foreign Secretary exemplifies the concerning trend.

Regardless of whether they voted Leave or Remain, I hope people will agree that a vote to leave the EU does not mean that we accept that outlook.

For this reason I have just made donations to the UN Refugee Agency, which works to support refugees across the world, and Hope Not Hate, an organisation that campaigns against racism and extremism in the UK.

I hope that others will join me in supporting causes such as these, and send the message that, despite recent events, we still care about the problems faced by those in other countries, as well as people within the UK who have through racism been made to feel unwelcome here.

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It is also a personal expression of protest against a view of the UK’s relationship to the rest of the world that, unfortunately, seems to be moving increasingly into the political mainstream.

Rachel Fletcher

Ashleigh Road,

Horsham

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