Sir, – Am I alone in thinking that there is something distasteful in Irish political figures, business leaders and media commentators telling British people how they should vote in the upcoming EU referendum? If British politicians, business leaders and media commentators were to interfere in our political debates, never mind referendums, we would no doubt be rightly indignant.
What amazes me is that these same Irish commentators were conspicuously silent during the Scottish independence referendum. The line taken then was that it was simply a matter for the Scottish people. No doubt many Irish commentators were secretly horrified at the idea of an independent Scotland competing against us in European and world markets, but given that we once had to fight to achieve independence from London, it would have been impolitic to take the side of our former masters!
I think it should be pointed out that the decision to leave the EU or to remain will be taken in England, as that is where the bulk of the British population lives, and not in the peripheral regions of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Furthermore, if Britain does vote for Brexit, I have no doubt that a political deal will be done to ensure that there is little or no disruption to either Britain or the rest of Europe.
Whichever way the vote goes, the sky will not fall in the day after, despite what the prophets of doom and the naysayers might suggest! – Yours, etc,
PAT BURKE,
Ballybrack, Co Dublin.