Garth Harkness

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Saddleworth North Ward on Oldham Council Learn more

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OLDHAM DOES NOT NEED MORE CUTS AND JOB LOSSES – SYKES

by Garth Harkness on 17 June, 2016

OLDHAM DOES NOT NEED MORE CUTS AND JOB LOSSES – SYKES

More cuts in key local services are likely to be a consequence if voters call for Britain to leave the European Union in the referendum next Thursday, a senior Oldham Councillor has warned.

 

Howard Sykes, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, says that hospitals and schools will be affected as well as services directly provided by the Council.

“This is not scaremongering, it’s just spelling out the reality,” stated Councillor Sykes.  “Our community does not need more cuts in services but that will be what happens if the ‘Leave’ side wins.”

“The government has still not balanced the books and is borrowing the best part of £200 million more every single day.  All the leading economic forecasters say that leaving the EU would be bad for Britain’s economy for years to come, so the consequences are inevitable.  Cuts in spending will follow quickly followed by job losses in both the private and public sectors.”

Sykes claims that even supporters of Brexit admit that any economic benefits could only come after years have passed, and he says that they are offering no guarantees at all that there will be a long term improvement.

“The fact is that Britain created the EU single market and has done very well out of it.  To leave something we devised for our own benefit would be like shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Fears about immigration are said to be a major reason why people might vote to leave the EU, but Sykes argues that Oldham Borough’s major concern is not EU citizens working locally but the need to provide for asylum seekers and that other areas have a fair share.

 He says: “Pulling out of the EU won’t help us in any way to deal with the problem and it could make the situation worse. 

 “A Britain isolated and alone can’t deal with the problems of people fleeing Syria or Libya.  There are no easy solutions but the only way forward lies through partnership with our European colleagues.

 “It would be madness to decide that we didn’t want to be in the rooms where decisions will be taken that are bound to affect our future and that of our children and grandchildren.  Britain will be smaller and weaker if it opts for isolation.  We will be bigger, stronger and have more influence if we remain IN.”

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