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Future outside EU

THE EU 'Remainers' would have us believe that being outside of the EU political construct would see the UK reduced to penury, unable to either trade or defend itself.

Shame on them for attempting to portray such an implausible scenario as the likely outcome of a 'leave' vote.

Italy and Greece are economic 'basket cases' with declining GDP figures, increasing unemployment and no realistic chance of reversing the dire situation they are experiencing mainly as a result of fiscal conditions imposed on them by the economic powerhouse which is Germany.

There is little to gain from being 'in the EU' when your economy is controlled by a foreign government.

Interestingly, the EU has no trade agreements with the USA, Japan, China, India, Brazil, Australia or New Zealand. And the agreement with Canada will only come into being in 2017 (the UK already has a bi-lateral agreement with Canada) but strangely there is no mention of 'free movement of EU nationals' to Canada.

As for security, one only has to consider the volatility in Turkey when a megalomaniac president blackmails the EU and threatens to unleash tens of thousands of refugees into Europe.

How else is one to interpret Mr Erdogan's statement that: "The EU Parliament will discuss the report (to allow 80 million Turks visa-free access to Europe) and, if the wrong decision is taken, we will send the refugees."

The EU has proved itself incapable of managing the refugee crisis, why would anyone believe the institutions of the EU are capable of providing protection to its citizens? The truth is that they cannot.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive, Swindon

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Global risk of Brexit?

MY apologies for sounding negative and ‘talking Britain down’ by pointing out it is stronger, safer and more prosperous in the EU but, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s top ten Global Risks, Brexit has been ranked at number 8.

Number 9 on the list is a multi-national war in the South China Sea and number 10 is the collapse of world oil prices, leading to another global financial meltdown.

With Brexit considered such a global risk by economic experts, I’m amazed some people think that there is no risk to the United Kingdom if we voted to leave the Single Market.

Boris Johnson reckons it’s a ‘risk worth taking’, but to put the global economy at risk by crashing out of the EU seems a little extreme…

ALEX HEGENBARTH

Head of Britain Stronger In Europe

Swindon

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Question of freedom

ONE possible scenario of Brexit is as the governor of the Bank of England was forced to speak of. But the most likely consequence is a vote to Remain would be taken as a tacit approval of British commitment to closer union.

Our economy would be more closely shackled to Europe and our economic growth would fall back to their present level of very low or zero.

This would mean loss of investment and jobs; reduced return on investments would hit pension funds and savings hard.

Britain would be a second world nation, no longer the outward looking internationalists we have always been.

The pound will find its own level in the slowly changing relationships, though not as dramatically as the US dollar is doing now.

A vote to leave does not carry as many risks as a vote to remain.We are not going away, but we the need freedom to progress like a forest needs sunshine and fresh air.

SUE DOUGHTY

Verey Close, Twyford, Reading

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Barbarity of war

SUNDAY, May 15 was International Conscientious Objectors Day. Around the world hundreds of people are locked in cells because they refuse to join the armed forces and go to war.

What does war achieve? There are no winners in war but there are plenty of deaths, destruction and unimaginable suffering.

The UK has the highest military budget in the world, the Government refers to it as the "Defence Budget."

What they mean is that it's money to be used for dropping bombs and invading and occupying foreign lands.

A report in April stated that the UK spent £320m helping to destroy Libya and this year the Government has pledged £50,000 to help rebuild the country, a clear case of money being spent to take lives but no money to help rebuild lives.

Conscientious objectors should not be jailed they should be applauded for their refusal to join the barbarity of war.

It is politicians around the world whose rush to war creates death and destruction that should be in jail.

The adage is: "Wars will cease when men refuse to fight." The world needs more conscientious objectors and not more willing fighters.

MARTIN WEBB

Swindon Road, Old Town

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Driverless dilemma

WE’RE getting closer to seeing driverless cars on British roads. While this has the potential to revolutionise the way we travel, we must be aware of the potential risks it could cause for drivers and insurers.

YouGov research commissioned by Claims.co.uk has revealed more than two thirds (68 per cent) of Britons said they would be uncomfortable as a passenger in a driverless car.

Further issues arise when it comes to the risk of a collision with a driverless vehicle.

Of the drivers polled, 56 per cent said they would worry that, if they had to make a claim against a driverless car, they would be classed as ‘at fault’ by insurers.

Technology can be a great thing but I worry the advent of driverless cars is going to be fraught with complex issues.

The public look less than enamoured with the advent of driverless cars, and but it’s time for the authorities to be clear on the answers to the moral and ethical dilemmas brought up by driverless cars, especially when it comes to safety and policies following an accident.

With research showing self-driving cars could save 2,500 lives in the UK by 2030, the sooner these are addressed, the better.

JOHN QUAIL

CEO of Claims.co.uk