THERE are many reasons to remain in the EU, but an important point seems to have been overlooked in the EU referendum debate. If the UK leaves the EU what happens to approximately two million EU citizens resident in the UK? These people would lose the automatic right to live and work here and would have to apply to the UK immigration authorities to regain these rights. Some, perhaps many, may choose to return to their original countries fearful of a tide of xenophobia which would surely accompany a vote to leave. Those who choose to remain, and hope that they will be granted the right to stay and work, would no longer have the legal right to work here whilst their applications are being processed. I would imagine that the large number of applications this situation would generate would overwhelm our immigration authorities and create serious delays in processing.
I foresee severe economic consequences. Think of all the businesses that are very largely staffed by Poles and other Eastern European nationals – hotels, restaurants and so on How would they cope with the sudden loss of all these employees? Some may go out of business. At the very least it must have a negative effect on their ability to function. If these employees are now out of work, they cease to pay taxes and may become reliant on Government benefits creating an economic triple whammy. Add this recessionary force to the disruption to trade that an EU withdrawal would certainly create and we have the recipe for a very serious recession.
There are also about two million UK citizen resident in the EU. The same situation would apply to them in various countries they reside in creating recessionary forces there. Recessions in these other countries would certainly affect us.
Let us step back from this chaos and vote to stay in the EU.
Ken Brown,
16 Turnhill Drive, Erskine.
I DO not know who coined the term "Brexit", but whilst it is catchy surely it is inappropriate in the context of covering the whole of the UK, as by definition it excludes both Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man? I am surprised there have been no howls of protest from either. Something along the lines of "Ukexit" sounds a bit clumsy, so what about "Ukoff" or even "Ukadieu " ?
Alan Fitzpatrick,
10 Solomon's View, Dunlop.
A WORD in the nationalist ear: if you’re confident of winning Indyref2, do us all at least one favour and vote to leave the EU in order to trigger it.
Martin Ketterer,
Tavistock Drive, Newlands,
Glasgow.
IAN W Thomson (Letters, February 25) likens the relationship of the British with the EU to that of a long suffering and oppressed wife who despite all the negativity decides to stay with her husband, warts and all.
And perhaps, closer to home, the relationship of those determined to have independence at all costs is like that of the unsettled wife who seeks divorce and a clean break but wants the comfort of a European Daddy and his lovely euros just in case.
R Russell Smith,
96 Milton Road, Kilbirnie.
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