Outgoing Herefordshire MEPs reflect on Brexit

The UK will no longer be a member of the European Union after 11pm tomorrow.

Despite this, there will still be a lot of discussion over Brexit and months of negotiation will follow.

While the UK has agreed the terms of its EU departure, both sides need to decide what their future relationship will be like.

A transition period begins immediately after Brexit day and is due to end on December 31, 2020.

During this time, the UK will continue to follow all of the EU’s rules and its trading relationship will remain the same.

Meanwhile, two soon-to-be former members of the European Parliament who represent the West Midlands and live in Herefordshire give their views on Britain’s departure from the union.

Conservative Party MEP Anthea McIntyre, who lives near Ross-on-Wye, said her overwhelming feeling is of a job well done that was not always understood back home in the UK.

“I feel proud of all that the Conservatives have achieved in Europe and of the legacy we are leaving behind,” she said.

“It is good that we’re getting Brexit done and delivering on the wishes of the British people.

“It is important that we leave on the best possible terms, with a climate of friendly co-operation for productive talks on a trade deal ahead. Some of our MEPs have been here many years and there is a lot of sadness in our departure. We are leaving many good colleagues from the EU-27 behind and we will be missed.”

Green Party MEP Ellie Chowns said it is a great shame that the UK is leaving the EU.

“Our country will be poorer, weaker and more isolated as a result,” she said. “I’m worried about Johnson’s plans to erode environmental protection, food standards and workers’ rights in his rush to get a race-to-the-bottom trade deal with Trump’s America.

“Brexit has made our country more divided, and more inward-looking and backward-looking. It’s taking us in the wrong direction.”

The Bishops Frome and Cradley councillor believes Brexit won’t be completed on January 31.

“We need to push our government to stay aligned with high European social and environmental standards.

“We need to support and reassure the EU citizens living in the UK who have been made to feel so unwelcome, despite the massively positive contribution they make to our society.

“And we need to work extra hard to maintain and strengthen UK-EU friendship going forward.

“The big challenges – from the climate crisis to security to tax evasion – can only be resolved through international cooperation.

“Brexit makes that harder.”

Tory PM Edward Heath took the UK into the European Economic Area in January 1973.

The EEC become the European Union in 1993 following the signing of the Maastricht Treaty which sought greater political union.

The UK voted by 51.9 per to 48.1 per cent to leave the EU in a referendum on June 23, 2016.