Readers' letters - July 5

It has been just over a week from the Referendum result and many of us who voted for “Remain” are still in a state of shock, and feeling the effects of uncertainty about the future of the UK and its four constituent parts.

In just one week, there has been a disturbing rise in racist attacks that does not bode for the future for ethnic and religious minorities; the collapse of financial markets; the resignation of the Prime Minister and wrangling within the Conservative Party over the leadership race; and the political troubles within the Labour Party.

Effectively neither HM Government nor HM Opposition is offering us any leadership for the challenging times ahead, but, in contrast, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of Scotland moved quickly to try to protect her country’s place within the European Union after 62 per cent of voters, representing a clear majority, voted to remain part of EU.

The overall result demonstrates the UK is a very disunited country, and it was emphatically not an overwhelming endorsement for “Vote Leave”.

With vast regional disparities in the results, I envisage only England and Wales being outside the EU in 2018. Also, Gibraltar voted overwhelmingly to “Remain” with 98 per cent, which is highly significant.

For my part, I simply cannot imagine living outside the EU, which in my view offers additional protection against direct and indirect discrimination on grounds of ethnic origin, belief or religion, gender orientation, age, disability or sexual orientation, to national laws.

The nadir of the “Vote Leave” campaign must surely be the flying of two planes with the banner “Take control, vote leave” three times over the Trafalgar Square gathering for what would have been the 42nd birthday of the late murdered MP Jo Cox, as her husband Brendan, their children, along with several of her colleagues and Malala Yousafzai were paying tribute to her. It was disrespectful, insensitive and tasteless! Who at Vote Leave HQ is going to take responsibility for that? Jo had urged voters not to “fall for the spin” that leaving the EU is the only way to deal with immigration concerns and she had stressed that Britain has reaped many benefits from immigration.

Susan Fox, Longton

PM with ‘steel in the spine’

The tectonic power plates are moving quickly after an extraordinary period in British politics.

We have a lame-duck government and no credible opposition.

It is now clear, as some of us argued months ago, that Brexit will damage economic growth and tax revenues. Deficit spending is now inevitable.