We had a referendum on EU membership nearly three years ago and there was a “clear result”, at least as far as Lincolnshire was concerned. Many people hoped that this would be an end to it. “After all, what part of ‘Leave’ don’t people understand?” I hear many of you asking, and you may have a point.
However, what many people choose to ignore is the fact that, of the voting population in the country as a whole, around 38% voted to leave, around 35% voted to remain, while around 27%, for reasons ranging from apathy to a genuine feeling of confusion, never voted at all. Hardly a massive majority for anything. ‘In or out’, ‘yes or no’ was always a crude choice on what was really a many faceted issue. Yet some people like to live their lives in black or white, whilst some of us prefer to live our lives in colour, so to speak.
As a pragmatic rather than fanatical Remainer, I could live with a ‘deal’ that saw us still having close economic ties with our treaty partners for the past forty years. I don’t support further fiscal, financial or political integration as far as the UK is concerned. Not all EU members support a Federal Europe, let alone an EU army. Indeed, we already have opt-outs. I could support the free movement of LABOUR but not of PEOPLE, just as I could support the repatriation of powers regarding agriculture and fisheries, provided that our farmers and fishermen realise that, for this to work to our advantage, they really need to step up to the plate. People argue that staying that close without a say would make us a vassal state. Really? As a country that would have to ask US permission to press the nuclear button if, heaven forbid, the need ever arose, we are hardly totally independent now.
Those people who just want us to ‘get out’ in the hope that this impasse will end may have a point. If only life were that simple; but it’s not. What if the dire predictions about the consequences of our crashing out of the EU were to come true? Are we prepared to take that risk? What I support is a compromise between that view and the view of those, who support a so called ‘People’s Vote’, because they reckon that Remain would win this time. Supposing we did get another vote and neither side of the argument scored a significant win, say, by at least 10%? That would probably take us back to square one.
The next few weeks are going to be crucial. If any further government plan fails, then it may well be up to Parliament to ‘take back control’, control which it really always had, especially with our unwritten constitution which some people appear to be willing to make up as they go along. As the EU has said, the ball is definitely in our court. After all it’s we, who want to leave them. The first thing that UK needs to do, if there is no significant breakthrough at Westminster in the next couple of weeks, is to apply to have Article 50 suspended at least until the end of June. Any longer and we would probably have to field candidates in the upcoming European Parliamentary Elections. Then, through a series of indicative votes, which need to be free from political party whipping, we may just be able to come up with a compromise deal that finds a parliamentary majority and hopefully the approval of the EU.
Also, isn’t it about time that the arch Brexiteers came up with a viable plan of their own, instead of just blithely parroting the idea of ‘trading on World Trade Organisation rules’? It’s really not that simple, as leaving the EU would rescind our WTO membership and we would most likely have to reapply to join as a sovereign nation and there are several WTO members, who have already indicated that they would oppose this.
If we do cobble together a deal that is acceptable to the BRITISH Parliament and the EU, perhaps then, to give the people a final say, we could consider holding a so called ‘preferendum’ where voters, instead of being given a binary choice, were asked to number, if they wished, in order of preference, options such as: Brexit with no deal / Brexit with a deal / Remain. If no option passes the 50% mark, the option with the least support could be eliminated and its second choices, if any, could be reassigned until one choice came out on top. Too complicated? Well, if you can’t count up to three then you might have problems. In any case, to achieve this would require the amount of time that would stretch Article 50 towards the end of year. And we haven’t even begun the transition period yet! The real problem is that, by the time this article is published, we might, as our American cousins say, be in ‘a whole new ball game’. But, please, please, please, don’t make that ANOTHER General Election!
Over to you, Westminster. It’s time to take back control!
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John was a councillor for thirty years, finally retiring in 2017. A schoolteacher by profession, he served on the North Hykeham Town Council (1987-2011), the North Kesteven District Council (1987-1999, 2001-2007) and the Lincolnshire County Council (2001-2017). He was also a County Council member of the former Lincolnshire Police Authority for eight years until standing down in 2009. In 1997 he was the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Sleaford and North Hykeham. He is currently not a member of any political party.
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It has been a tragic week with three deaths on Lincolnshire’s roads after two male motorbike riders and a man on a pedal bike lost their lives.
The roads are now busier again after further lockdown restrictions were eased on April 12, but since then three men have sadly died.
A man died after falling from his pedal bike in Branston on Wednesday, April 14 and police said his death is not being treated as suspicious.
On the same day, a 34-year-old male died after a crash involving two motorcycles near Gainsborough.
The man who lost his life in the collision was riding a silver Wuyang motorcycle. The second motorcycle was a blue Suzuki being ridden by a man in his 30s, who was taken to hospital with suspected serious injuries.
A 54-year-old man from North Lincolnshire also died after his motorbike crashed with a Royal Mail post van on the A631 near Glentham at around 4pm on Thursday, April 15.
This comes after it was revealed on March 11 that for the first time in over three decades nobody had died on the county’s roads in the first months of the year, according to Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership.
Lincolnshire Police revealed earlier this week that between 2018 and 2020 twenty five motorcyclists lost their lives on Lincolnshire’s roads.
There have been 285 coronavirus cases in Greater Lincolnshire and eight COVID-related deaths so far this week – a 7% drop in cases and one less death from the previous week.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard on Friday recorded 32 new cases in Lincolnshire, eight in North Lincolnshire and three in North East Lincolnshire.
On April 16, three deaths were registered in Lincolnshire and none in Northern Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported two hospitals this week so far, compared to none this time last week.
On Friday, national cases increased by 2,596 to 4,383,732, while deaths rose by 34 to 127,225.
In local news, Lincolnshire health bosses expect COVID-19 cases to rise in our region as lockdown is eased, but are optimistic that if numbers are kept low enough, then people will be free to enjoy the summer.
Andy Fox, Deputy Director of Public Health at Lincolnshire County Council, said the lifting of coronavirus restrictions this week had not caused any specific concerns yet.
Since Wednesday, Greater Lincolnshire has again seen a decrease in its infection rates overall, against an increase nationally.
All districts have seen a fall in their rates, except small increases in North Lincolnshire and South Holland. Lincoln has stayed the same and has the lowest rate in the region.
Boston has the highest infection rate of COVID-19 in Greater Lincolnshire and is ranked 9th in the UK.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates up to April 16:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Apr 9 to Apr 16. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
England’s R number has dropped slightly to between 0.7 and 1 according to the latest data this week. This means for every 10 people infected with COVID-19, they will pass it on to between seven and 10 others.
The new Indian variant of the COVID virus that’s been detected in the UK has all the hallmarks of a very dangerous virus.
It has two new significant mutations in the spike protein that help it infect cells and evade the immune system.
People are “likely” to need a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine within 12 months of getting the first two, Pfizer’s chief executive has said.
Dr Albert Bourla said a booster jab could be necessary “somewhere between six and 12 months” after the second one – and every year thereafter.
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Friday, April 16
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
58,919 cases (up 43)
41,028 in Lincolnshire (up 32)
9,275 in North Lincolnshire (up eight)
8,616 in North East Lincolnshire (up three)
2,185 deaths (up three)
1,613 from Lincolnshire (up three)
304 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
268 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,302 hospital deaths (no change)
810 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
450 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)
4,383,732 UK cases, 127,225 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
Plans to demolish part of a former play centre and Chinese takeaway to build 41 new student flats, have been submitted to the City of Lincoln Council.
Killingbeck PLG has applied for permission to demolish “most” of the existing facade of the former home of Imagination Station and Big Wok, on Beaumont Fee, and rebuild it as part of the development.
The main hall, a warehouse and a recently built “link block” to the rear of the building will also be demolished, and will be completely replaced with a new extension.
In documents to the council, the applicant describes how the 41”study bedrooms” will be en-suite and open off a central circulation area.
The build will form part of the Iconinc post-graduate residential units development next door and will sit opposite the Park Court student accommodation on Park Street.
It will include 12 apartments on the ground floor, 11 at first and second floor and seven units on the third floor.
How the build could look.
The application said: “There is a clear need for good quality, post-graduate, city centre, residential accommodation and the economic case for the redevelopment of the site is reinforced by the fact the site can be linked with the new Iconic development so amenities can be shared.
“The demolition of the existing property and the proposed redevelopment will bring positive benefits to the area economically and aesthetically.”
As part of the build, residents will gain shared access to existing facilities including the gym.
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