A letter to Victoria Prentis MP

This past week, I have personally experienced the ‘wonderful benefits’ of Brexit. So I decided to write to my MP and tell her all about it. My letter to the honourable member for North Oxfordshire and junior government minister – Victoria Prentis MP.

Dear Mrs Prentis,

Although I have lived outside of the UK for over twelve years, I am currently still on the electoral register as a former resident of Finmere, in the eastern extremity of your constituency. So I am writing to tell you of my recent experience of the great benefits of Brexit.

On 10^th April 2021, I ordered online, an item of clothing, manufactured in the UK, from a UK supplier. I paid £75.00, together with a further £18.95 for shipping via Royal Mail Track & Trace. When the UK was still a member of the EU, the parcel containing my order would normally have been delivered to my home in the far north of the Czech Republic, some seven to ten days later.

However, because of Brexit and the wonderful Trade and Cooperation Agreement negotiated by your party leader and prime minister, my parcel was instead held in Czech Customs, upon its arrival in Prague. I then received a registered letter explaining various ways for me to receive my parcel, all of which would involve additional costs.

I eventually decided to collect my parcel in person, whilst having to be in Prague for a medical appointment. As well as having to make a difficult journey across a city with a population of 1.3 million, (somewhat bigger than Banbury or Bicester in your constituency), I was also required to pay tax and customs duty of CZK 696/£23.60, increasing the cost of the goods by over 25%.

So as you can see, one great benefit of Brexit is that I have been forced to make an additional contribution to the income of the Czech government. The second benefit is that the cost of goods ordered from UK businesses by any of 446 million people resident in the EU, has been increased by around 25%. I am sure you will see both of these things as being highly beneficial to the future well-being of the United Kingdom.

Yes – I am being very sarcastic. But please explain to me; what are the benefits of Brexit? Do not give me the line about regaining sovereignty. The whole concept is nebulous and my question in return would be, ‘What have you done with your sovereignty today?’

The truthful answer to my question is that there are none! The Emperor doesn’t have any new clothes. And that truth needs to be said loudly and clearly.

Yours faithfully

Ricky Yates

Postscript

I promise to report the details of any reply that I receive. However, my hopes are not high for a truthful answer from someone whose party leader and prime minister is an inveterate liar.