IT SEEMS that immigration is the issue that those who want us to leave the EU are using as their reason for wanting to get out. It makes no sense!

It is agreed that as a country we have full employment – there is no vast army of the UK unemployed waiting to grab back jobs filled at the moment by EU nationals.

So if we leave, and immigration is halted, the jobs filled by EU nationals at the moment will go unfilled. That means our economy will shrink.

Less jobs equals less tax income for the government, equals less money to spend on schools, the NHS and everything else.

Locally we have firms that employ a lot of EU nationals. If they cannot get people to come across from the EU to fill those jobs what will they do?

Rather than see their business shrink, aren’t they more likely to look to move it to where they can get the workers.

If they go, locally we lose not only the jobs, but also the council tax, the money spent in local shops, pubs, etc.

Yes, it feels strange to walk down Chard Fore street and hear groups of people speaking in a language I don’t understand.

Yes, I do feel awkward sometimes when surrounded by people who sound different, but surely that is a terrible reason to throw away all the advantages being a member of the EU brings.

I recall moving to South Somerset from the East Midlands 40 years ago and being told that I could never call myself a local, but my children were born here, they can, and so, slowly but surely we become integrated and accepted here.

We have to be patient, tolerant and positive about all these ‘strangers’ who join us, work here, pay taxes and ultimately bring their children up here. Those children will be locals! Let’s give them and their parents the chance they deserve. Let’s vote to remain a member of the EU and give us all a positive, engaged future.

Chris Smith, Chard

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