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‘No one voted to be worse off’ - Wakefield locals brace for Brexit ‘No one voted to be worse off’ - Wakefield locals brace for Brexit
(5 days later)
As Jeremy Corbyn was giving his Brexit speech, Peter Clarke had popped into Duchniak’s, a Polish restaurant on the outskirts of Wakefield city centre. He wanted to know if they sold Pączki, donuts eaten on the Polish answer to pancake day. They call it Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek) and the 72-year-old was trying to order a big batch for a Rotary Club do next month.As Jeremy Corbyn was giving his Brexit speech, Peter Clarke had popped into Duchniak’s, a Polish restaurant on the outskirts of Wakefield city centre. He wanted to know if they sold Pączki, donuts eaten on the Polish answer to pancake day. They call it Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek) and the 72-year-old was trying to order a big batch for a Rotary Club do next month.
“We’ve recently had a new Polish member and I thought it would be nice to make her feel welcome,” the retired policeman said.“We’ve recently had a new Polish member and I thought it would be nice to make her feel welcome,” the retired policeman said.
Talk turned to Brexit. Clarke was one of the 66.4% of Wakefield residents who voted to leave – “and if there is another vote I would vote leave again. I think we have been treated appallingly by the EU.”Talk turned to Brexit. Clarke was one of the 66.4% of Wakefield residents who voted to leave – “and if there is another vote I would vote leave again. I think we have been treated appallingly by the EU.”
Brexit: Corbyn downplays suggestions he will table no confidence motion next week - Politics liveBrexit: Corbyn downplays suggestions he will table no confidence motion next week - Politics live
He saw no contradiction in enjoying a restaurant opened by a young Polish woman taking advantage of the EU’s freedom of movement and labour, and Brexit. He seemed surprised that his vote might have made Poles feel unwanted.He saw no contradiction in enjoying a restaurant opened by a young Polish woman taking advantage of the EU’s freedom of movement and labour, and Brexit. He seemed surprised that his vote might have made Poles feel unwanted.
“Does it?” he asked Sabina Niemczyk, the 29-year-old waitress, who came to the UK four years ago. “It does a bit,” she said quietly. “Especially when I used to work in a shop and could hear people saying I should go back to my country.” She plans to go home again in 10 months.“Does it?” he asked Sabina Niemczyk, the 29-year-old waitress, who came to the UK four years ago. “It does a bit,” she said quietly. “Especially when I used to work in a shop and could hear people saying I should go back to my country.” She plans to go home again in 10 months.
Clarke went to reassure her. “I don’t have a problem with people who work. It’s the scroungers I don’t like. The ones who come on the back of a lorry.” Never mind that asylum seekers who arrive hidden in trucks are a) not European and b) not entitled to claim benefits. Clarke’s Brexit vote wasn’t really about immigration, he said – his niece is married to a German and recently got her German passport “just in case”. For him, it is about sovereignty and the EU “bit by bit taking extra power – it’s become a government in itself”.Clarke went to reassure her. “I don’t have a problem with people who work. It’s the scroungers I don’t like. The ones who come on the back of a lorry.” Never mind that asylum seekers who arrive hidden in trucks are a) not European and b) not entitled to claim benefits. Clarke’s Brexit vote wasn’t really about immigration, he said – his niece is married to a German and recently got her German passport “just in case”. For him, it is about sovereignty and the EU “bit by bit taking extra power – it’s become a government in itself”.
He was unconvinced that Jeremy Corbyn could do a better job than Theresa May and negotiate a better deal, including a new customs union. “Well, how?” he asked. “Others have tried and failed.”He was unconvinced that Jeremy Corbyn could do a better job than Theresa May and negotiate a better deal, including a new customs union. “Well, how?” he asked. “Others have tried and failed.”
Corbyn’s call for a general election may not pay off in Wakefield, where Labour’s Mary Creagh has a delicate 2,176 majority over the Tories. Joiner Geoffrey Walpole, 60, said he didn’t know who he would vote for but certainly not Corbyn – “he’s never done a day’s work in his life”. He voted for Ukip last time they stood, in 2015, coming third, but thinks “they’ve had the stuffing knocked out of them”.Corbyn’s call for a general election may not pay off in Wakefield, where Labour’s Mary Creagh has a delicate 2,176 majority over the Tories. Joiner Geoffrey Walpole, 60, said he didn’t know who he would vote for but certainly not Corbyn – “he’s never done a day’s work in his life”. He voted for Ukip last time they stood, in 2015, coming third, but thinks “they’ve had the stuffing knocked out of them”.
People are too scared to take a risk and deviate from the main parties, he believes: “If you told the British public to take fewer breaths every day because there was a shortage of oxygen, most people would do it. People are frightened.”People are too scared to take a risk and deviate from the main parties, he believes: “If you told the British public to take fewer breaths every day because there was a shortage of oxygen, most people would do it. People are frightened.”
In the carpark of OE Electrics, where the camera trucks stood to broadcast the Labour leader’s speech, three Wakefield remainers were protesting.In the carpark of OE Electrics, where the camera trucks stood to broadcast the Labour leader’s speech, three Wakefield remainers were protesting.
Robert Gosling, 66, had made his own flagpole out of his washing line to wave his EU flag. “A man’s just gone past in the car, he [said] ‘we’re leaving aren’t we?’, and I said, ‘well, no one voted to be worse off’. He said he would take £20 a week less if there was no immigration. But in Wakefield with the nurses, there’s 200 vacancies at the trust. They can’t get people from the EU,” he said.Robert Gosling, 66, had made his own flagpole out of his washing line to wave his EU flag. “A man’s just gone past in the car, he [said] ‘we’re leaving aren’t we?’, and I said, ‘well, no one voted to be worse off’. He said he would take £20 a week less if there was no immigration. But in Wakefield with the nurses, there’s 200 vacancies at the trust. They can’t get people from the EU,” he said.
John Sheard, a retired IT worker, said Brexit was the first issue he had protested against since he was a student and went on a demonstration against grant cuts. Both he and Gosling are Labour members and campaigned for their local party to submit a motion to Labour conference in favour of a second referendum: a move eventually backed by Creagh.John Sheard, a retired IT worker, said Brexit was the first issue he had protested against since he was a student and went on a demonstration against grant cuts. Both he and Gosling are Labour members and campaigned for their local party to submit a motion to Labour conference in favour of a second referendum: a move eventually backed by Creagh.
“I thought it was a positive thing, Corbyn being Eurosceptic,” Sheard said. “I thought we could remain in the EU and have a Eurosceptic leader who would be a strong voice for a reform in Europe. But it’s not been how it worked out.”“I thought it was a positive thing, Corbyn being Eurosceptic,” Sheard said. “I thought we could remain in the EU and have a Eurosceptic leader who would be a strong voice for a reform in Europe. But it’s not been how it worked out.”
Lynne Stainthorpe, a retired teacher, said she had been campaigning since the People’s Vote march in October. “Most Labour members are remainers, aren’t they, and most Labour MPs are remainers,” she said. “I just wanted him to see that.”Lynne Stainthorpe, a retired teacher, said she had been campaigning since the People’s Vote march in October. “Most Labour members are remainers, aren’t they, and most Labour MPs are remainers,” she said. “I just wanted him to see that.”
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