Trimble needs to spell out his EU claims

Re Lord Trimble's views on the EU referendum (March 26).

The former first minister said that those who claim that a British withdrawal from the EU would damage the peace in Northern Ireland had failed so far to spell out how this would happen.

I am inclined to agree on this point; however Lord Trimble is no doubt guilty of scaremongering of his own.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He goes on to say that the EU, “Is more than about just economic cooperation; it is about building a state” a theory upon which the former first minister offers not a scintilla of proof.

Given his failure to spell out how this is the case, it sounds more like conversation in the House of Lords bar with his hard-line Tory friends.

Furthermore Lord Trimble’s history of cross border trade is also problematic, in describing the period

from 1920-1973 he says there was “never any serious problem”. He seems unaware of the Anglo Irish trade war of the 1930s and its effect on Ulster’s economy.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In Saturday’s edition I also read about how some local farmers have called for the “leave” campaign to spell-out exactly what their vision of the UK would be post-Brexit.

This is an answer Lord Trimble his allies in this campaign would do well to spell out.

Paul Hagan, Portadown