LETTER OF THE DAY: Council spending outside the city could prove very expensive

Multinational aerospace firm Airbus announced it would pull out of the UK if a ‘no deal’ Brexit goes ahead, which would lead to 14,000 jobs cut nationally and 1,400 of which would be local.

The leader of Portsmouth council, Gerald Vernon-Jackson, has said he is ‘extremely fearful’ for jobs in the city and will be writing to the secretary of the state for industry, Greg Clark, for direction and a meeting with Airbus.

However, enter former council leader Donna Jones, who reassures the community by stating: ‘The Airbus jobs at risk in Portsmouth arise from the Galileo contract. This contract is sadly being used as a pawn in the negotiations but my expectation is that the jobs can remain in the city and the government will support the ongoing research of space programmes.’

Well, Councillor Jones, is that scientific fact or just opinion?

The vast amounts of money squandered by the previous regime on purchasing property outside of Portsmouth in a personal crusade for acknowledgement and with the un-approving coffers of the community, could well come home to roost a lot sooner than anticipated if this Brexit fall-out of uncertainty continues.

While space is on the agenda with Airbus in the shape of Galileo, Cllr Vernon-Jackson will need the navigation skills of Captain Kirk because a departure of this nature will surely not be the only Brexit casualty and the final frontier, awash with space from all the empty units invested in, will leave only the phrase ‘Beam me up Jonesy’ as a parting piece from the Captain of Entrepreneurs.

Dean Kimber

North Shore,

Hayling Island