Brexit and the Floods
Dear Rupert Matthews.
I have just received via e mail a copy of your latest Brexit magazine and of particular interest to me was the article on flooding - given that I live in York which as you will know, and like many other areas in the UK, has experienced the worst flooding ever.
I am an anti EU campaigner, and like yourself, when I first read and understood something of the Maastricht Treaty also decided there and then to oppose the EU with everything I could muster. Ever since then I have continued, on and off, to continue to do so, and until we are out of this despicable organisation. I therefore support BOO and any other campaign to remove us.
May I draw your attention to an important campaigning element in the flooding saga. As you will know, huge numbers of people around the UK, whether flooded out or not, are beginning, slowly as the facts gradually emerge, to understand the EU dimension and its inhibiting power over the EA not to function as an independent body to undertake river and water management due to the two EU directive - Water Framework directive, and the Habitats directive.
You will also be well aware I'm sure that thankfully Owen Paterson drew attention to this factor when as Environment Secretary he publicised these matters in relation to the Somerset Levels Floods.
However and (cynically turning the EU's tactics around) - I support the opportunity of "never let a good crisis go to waste' politically speaking!
Given the dawning realisation about the EU factor in inhibiting or preventing dredging taking place, many thousands of people will be anxious to know what the government intends to do about it - apart that is from throwing more money into their much vaunted "flood defences".
I believe however that a much more robust approach must now be made, and to that end have e mailed MPs who represent flooded areas to demand of Mr Cameron that he will include in his forthcoming 'negotiations' that he insists on a complete derogation of the UK from these two particular directives.
Of course I realise that under the evil 'aquis communitaire' doctrine of 'occupied ground the EU will never even consider such a request and neither would Mr C have the bottle to present it!
Notwithstanding, so serious is the threat of further flooding at any time - even again this winter, that I believe that Mr C must be pressurised to specifically confront his EU 'colleagues' and other member state heads with the seriousness of this continuing threat, and in order to make him understand the priority of his duty of care to British victims of flooding, which must take equal place with his other pathetically weak and contemptible demands.
Can you please circulate this matter among your BOO colleagues, and possibly urge others to write to their respective MPs to insist that they in turn confront Cameron with this as a matter of urgency.
Incidentally I have not yet had a positive answer from the two MPs who represent York, but interestingly I received a response from one Tim Farron (!) who replied within a week to me personally by e mail (even though I am not a constituent or a LibDim) assuring me that he would write to the PM about this.
If as we may expect Mr C ignores this matter entirely then I believe that once that fact is publicised it would have an explosive fall out politically prior to any referendum whenever held. His 'feet must be held to the fire' on this one IMO.
I would be grateful for your thoughts/comments
Kind regards
Graham Wood
