LETTER: These deals will not help with the problems we face
A reader discusses Brexit and trade deals.
As I sat in my lonely lorry for a couple of days recently in a Kent lorry park, my mind went back four years to those dreamy days of yesteryear. Sunny uplands and oven ready food. Oh happy days! My revelry was interrupted by a knock on my cab door. “The Portaloo is now free if you still need it, mate”. I thanked him, but it was help that had come a little too late. If only my permits to enter Kent had passed the custom scrutiny first time I would be nearer the front of the thousands of lorries queuing up to get their goods onto the continent.
After listening to Boris and co as they twisted and turned with very little, if any, results over a long time, it brought back other recent thoughts. For example, as Mr Wydell stated on June 15, “Who can ever trust a politician again after this?” Not me! As to “The serious dilution of Britishness”. The British Island has, if one checks history books, a flow of people entering and leaving over the centuries. Many, for example, doing a wonderful job like propping up the NHS on poor wages after ten years of Tory austerity. They are keeping it going. Concerning the elephants (Boris, Cummings, Rees- Mogg etc) in the room, Brexit still faces us. No deal still seems the only aim of the Tories. Still, let’s not be pessimistic, we have our friends across the water to help us out – the USA. Two of the items the Government refuses to rule out from negotiations are food and pharmaceuticals. Two relevant things spring to mind, BOTH FACTS repeatedly and conveniently ignored.
1. If you missed it please try and get a copy of Dispatches Channel 4 October 12 “Dirty secrets of American food. Coming to a supermarket near you”. The conditions of the cattle, the state of the abattoirs, and the final treatment with chemicals depicted is guaranteed to horrify you. This is done with complete disregard of what you eat just to give the companies a healthy profit. 2. The second is a film made a few years ago, but still, I think very relevant. It’s Michael Moores “Sicko” which investigates the American “health” system. Apart from the millions who can not afford treatment, there are allegedly doctors who are paid to prescribe opioids and other strong addictive painkillers which are now causing serious problems. Still, it keeps the companies involved very, very rich.
I cannot see how any deals with these sort of companies can help the increasing problems we must face with unemployment and homelessness. Still sunny uplands here we come. Have just been told to move my lorry up a bit as there is now only a day and a half until I board the ferry.
Probably have to cancel my family holiday if this queue does not shift soon. Had booked two weeks at the Barnard Castle Rest Home and Eye Clinic.
Roger Cain, Ludlow
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