Brexit is failing us

Dear Editor,

How many of our own local farmers fear being thrown under the Brexit Bus by the Australian trade deal? Cheap hormone-pumped meat will price out our own better-quality food. It’s a treacherous, environmentally damaging deal. Crucially, Brexit sets the precedent for deals of grossly unequal benefit to superpowers like America, China, Japan and India – deals so politically toxic they’re negotiated in secret. There’ll be a storm of lies and cover-ups by the Government, just as with Brexit and Covid - and the fall-out will be just as brutal.

As for Brexit’s phoney patriotism - there’s nothing patriotic about throwing your own to the wall so that competitors, cronies and hedge-fund profiteers can make their quick billions. Brexit has lost us our trust, status and international influence. What will it take for true patriots to say enough is enough?

Brexit betrayed us all. So why are we accepting it? Whose interests are we serving? Our farmers and fishermen cannot forever fight catastrophic deals. Instead, they should cut to the cause, reject Brexit itself, and support the ‘Stay European Movement’.

The Government’s authoritarian soul rules by fakery, greed and corrupt practice. What part of this list suggests Leavers will get the unicorns they were promised? Thousands of successful small and medium businesses are going under; London is losing supremacy in international finance. The calamitous drain of so many Carers and NHS doctors and nurses because of Brexit’s hostile environment, is shameful. Brexit’s moral betrayal of the Union itself, emboldens the Scots and Irish to jump ship. They know exactly how betrayed farmers feel – don’t talk to the DUP about trusting Johnson!

This Government and a colluding opposition are failing us - either too corrupt or too cowardly to stop the Brexit rot. Sacrificing our livelihoods and our children’s future wasn’t the deal. Death by a thousand cuts wasn’t the deal. Sacrificing Britain’s status to feed the ambition and fill the pockets of rogues, wasn’t the deal. The EU was 47 years our friend - let’s honour that. By reversing Brexit we’ll keep the United Kingdom united, and Britain Great as the EU Superpower it always was, and can be again.

Jennifer Godschall Johnson, address supplied. Editor’s note: Have a different view to Jennifer? Respond to editor@andoveradvertiser.co.uk.

Recycling centre

Dear Editor

I can use almost all of the shops in Andover. I can visit all the pubs and restaurants. I can use the sports centre and I can go to sports matches but the recycling centre is still operating on restricted conditions.

Is it another back-door regulation that will end up as a permanent feature in the town?

It is about time the restrictions are removed and the operation of the recycling centre is returned to pre-lockdown conditions.

Michael Brown, Andover.

Lost property

Dear Editor,

On late on Tuesday afternoon (May 25), I rushed into town for several errands before collecting flowers from Gallagher’s for my sister’s funeral the following day, and when I got home, I found my spectacles were no longer on the cord round my neck.

By this time, Gallagher’s was closed, but I telephoned the stores I could remember visiting, and my husband and I drove back to search where I had walked, without success.

On Wednesday we had a three-hour drive up to the funeral, and arrived home at 7pm. Therefore on Thursday morning I once again went to town to search, and finally at Gallagher’s learned that the glasses had been found outside the shop, and had been put on one of the displays outside. However in the interval someone else appears to have taken them.

Would the person who took my cream framed spectacles from outside Gallagher’s florist on Thursday morning please return them to Gallagher’s or contact the Andover Advertiser?

Thank you.

Jacky Hutchins, Andover.

Car boot sale

Dear Editor,

I am writing to you about the car boot sale held on the High Street in Andover on May 31. It pleased me to no end to see the High Street booming, with people shopping, dining, and drinking.

There was entertainment in the centre organised by the radio, the sun was shining and all was well with the world.

I was, however, dismayed to see the lack of social distancing when it came to the car boot sale; people were climbing on top of each other, itching to get the ‘deal of the day’ found in someone’s boot. No masks or Covid wardens were sighted!

I appreciate that we are coming out of lockdown, but we must remain sensible. After a year of being told what to do, surely, we should know by now that the virus is still there. We don’t want a third/fourth lockdown, do we?

Yannick Rachel, Andover.

Grammar days

Dear Editor,

My sister kindly passed on to me your nice article about Andover Grammar School. The picture brought back happy memories of my time there 1956-63, under the firm but kindly headship of Mr Rogers. In the early years I definitely was not a star pupil. A second year school report records that my history exam result - 36 per cent - was the same as my position in the class - 36. Latin with Miss Peppiette on the other hand was great fun (“non solum, pum-pum-pum....sed etiam, pum-pum-pum”).

One of the best times was the summer term after GCEs had finished, when apart from from some educational visits, we just lounged round the swimming pool.

I remain hugely grateful for the superb education I received at AGS, especially in the 6th form when free at last from geography and history, I could concentrate on the sciences. Hanson was of course always the best house.

Stuart Tanner CBE

Emeritus Professor of Paediatrics, University of Sheffield

Truly thankful

Dear Editor,

Since becoming Police and Crime Commissioner just three weeks ago, I have already discovered the huge and significant impact volunteers make to policing, in helping to support the delivery of my role and in helping to make Hampshire and the Isle of Wight safe places to live, work and visit.

There are literally thousands and thousands of local people giving their time to support others and to make a difference in our local communities and I would like to take the opportunity during this Volunteers’ Week to say thank you to them all.

It is always important to say thank to you to those who give up their time and go out of their way to help others, but with the difficult times of this pandemic, volunteers have really shown their strength and it feels more important than ever to say thank you.

And to give you just a small idea of the big contribution volunteers made during last year, my Youth Commission and Independent Custody Visitors gave 1,296 hours of volunteering and police volunteers gave over 40,000 hours.

I am truly impressed by this and to celebrate and recognise the contribution volunteers make to policing and the community, I am pleased to announce I will be launching new awards later this year. My Police and Crime Commissioner Community and Volunteers Awards will provide an opportunity to bring volunteers together from across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to say thank you and celebrate the enormous contribution them make.

Donna Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire.