29/03/2017 Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)

European Union after 44 years of membership. That's all from the BBC

Good evening and welcome to a special BBC Look North from Boston.

We are live by the River Witham in the town centre.

Three quarters of people here voted to leave the European Union,

that's the highest number anywhere in the country.

Today, their wish is coming true and we'll being finding

Today, their wish is coming true and we'll be finding out

what they want Britain outside the European Union to look like.

This is an historic moment from which there can be no turning back.

Britain is leaving the European Union.

As Article 50 is triggered, we look at the role Lincolnshire

and East Yorkshire played in taking the UK out of the EU.

We are going to take this opportunity to build a stronger,

fairer Britain, a country that our children and grandchildren are proud

to call home. I will be live at Westminster, where

most of our MPs say they are determined to make a success of

Brexit. The changing face of a town -

we look at how different communities have been affected as Boston

prepares for Brexit. I haven't cried as much yet in my

life as I have cried since Brexit. I don't really know what this Brexit

thing will mean for us. It's just going to be some stress,

and I'm going to lose my friends. I'll speak to people in Boston

to find out what they want to see when we leave the EU and how

they feel about the change. I hope will not affect anything. So

you want less foreign people here? Yes. But you are foreign. I think

we're going to be all right. We have survived the first nine months, and

will be all right. And the Brexit winners and losers -

we find out how businesses are being Exceptionally mild over the next 24

hours. Temperatures may reach 18-19 in southern parts of Lincolnshire

tomorrow. Join me for the latest. Nine months after the UK

voted to leave Europe, Article 50 has been triggered,

that means the Prime Minister has formally told the EU

that we intend to leave. A period of negotiation expected

to take around two years but perhaps Boston is important, because 75% of

people here voted to leave the EU last summer, when there was the

referendum. That figure is simply the highest in the country.

Later in the programme we'll find out how people

here now feel but first, our political editor Tim Iredale

is in Westminster for us tonight and has been following events there,

how significant is today in the Brexit process?

Well, many of the people you speak to in Boston tonight and others

across Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire who voted in huge numbers

to leave the European Union last June may be wondering why it has

taken so long to get to where we are today. The simple answer is, up

until now, combination of MPs, the House of Lords and judges could in

theory have overturned the result of the referendum, but we now know that

isn't going to happen. So it has left the way clear for Theresa May

today to send that goodbye letter to Brussels, and that means we are

heading for the EU accident door. A warning, this report contains some

flash photography. After years of discussion,

debate and division - Britain IS leaving

the European Union - the separation finally

confirmed today by the Prime This government has a clear plan for

Britain that will change this country, that will see us with a

more global outlook, a stronger economy, a fairer society, and the

more united nation. What this triggering of article 50

means today is, it is the first step on the road of Britain taking back

control of its immigration policy, and that is exactly what the people

of Boston and Lincolnshire have been saying they have wanted for a long

time. Today is the day we do it. The United Kingdom became part

of what was then called Is Europe stronger with Britain a

member? Yes! But even then, in the days of

flares, big collars and sideburns, many politicians started

campaigning to get us out. A referendum in 1975 saw British

voters choose remain part A referendum in 1975 saw British

voters choose to remain part of the European Community,

but it would be a different story more than 40 years later

when the people were asked We can make tomorrow our

Independence Day. It was clear that Lincolnshire

and East Yorkshire would be targeted heavily by the Leave campaign,

with concerns about the impact of immigration high

on political agenda. What would be the impact if we

remained in the EU for our NHS and other public services, which are

already under huge strain because of the increasing migration?

In our part of the world, the verdict was clear.

Lincolnshire recorded the country's biggest vote

in favour of leaving the EU - but Hull and the East Riding

Yet that wasn't the end of the story.

A legal challenge led to parliament having a say on the Brexit process,

but MPs ultimately decided the result of last summer's

Britain's divorce from the EU will be complicated and could be costly.

But the historic decision made by voters in East Yorkshire

and Lincolnshire last June will become a reality.

Tonight, Brexit really does mean Brexit.

It certainly does. Thank you very much.

Now, Boston is a good example of a town which has been hit by

immigration. The 2011 census found that there had

been a large increase in population, with 13% of the town

being born outside the UK. When you ask people why they voted

in those huge numbers to leave the EU, many people say it was because

of the strain on services in this area. Places like the doctors and

the hospital, and that excuse and that reason came up time and time

again. So how do the people of Boston now view the prospect of

being outside of the EU? For 12 years Hana has lived

and worked in Boston, her son Michael was born

here but they are Czech rather than British nationals

and since the Brexit vote she says their future

feels less secure. I haven't cried as much in my life

as I cried since Brexit. It's like a blank, we don't know

what's going to happen. We still don't know what this Brexit

thing will mean for us. Do you worry about anything

to do with Brexit? It's just like that there's

going to be some stress and like, I'm just going to lose my friends

and stuff like that. But efforts are being made to make

Boston's many foreign The town's iconic St Botolph's

Church, known as the Boston Stump, now has a multi-lingual chapel

to encourage people of all nationalities

to worship together. I have seen what has been

happening post-Brexit. I've made connections

with lots of people from different communities and there is a very

positive drive to make this town a community where people

celebrate living here. And even some of those who voted

to leave the EU want better integration between Boston's

different communities. One leave voter has set up

a Facebook group called Boston More in Common

to encourage that. Boston seemed to me at that point

going nowhere and we'd got a lot of people here that

were from eastern Europe and I wanted to become friends

with those people and try and sort out some of the problems that

Boston has with some Here in Boston more than 75%

of voters opted to leave the European Union in last June's

referendum and today, around nine months on, the process to make that

happen has officially begun. What do people here hope

that will mean for them? I never wanted to come out from it

anyway so I'm hoping that things Has life been different

here since the vote? I think it has changed the town, not

for the better but for the worse. Since the vote?

Yes. Hopefully the people

who are here for that many years, I am a bit. Things might change but

hopefully for the best. For Hana life has certainly not been

better since the EU referendum but she hopes that now the official

Brexit process has begun, she will at least get some

clarity on the future. I must say I have had a lovely day

in Boston so far. I'm joined now by Julian Thompson

and Ziedonis Barbaks. Julian has lived in Boston all his

life. Ziedonis is chair of the Latvian Council in Great Britain.

Good evening to you both. Julian, why did you vote to leave? Two

reasons, mainly. I was fed up with the bureaucracy of Brussels, and

them forever saying we can do this and that, and the other, being tied

to Brussels, laws being made that we were no longer in control of, and

then also because of the influx in Boston. We have received no funding.

It wouldn't have mattered if it was 10,000 people that came in.

So it is what I was saying a few minutes ago, the effect on the

services? Definitely, the services have

suffered. You were worried about leaving the

EU. Why are you worried? I am worried

about the people living and working in this area. Those people are very

worried about the information on leaving the EU, and there is no

information on what will happen afterwards. That is my worry.

Are the Eastern Europeans that are here wanting to stay?

Yes, they want to stay, but right now, the situation is where they are

already thinking to leave the United Kingdom.

Because of what has happened? Yes. You say you are worried about the

future of Boston. In what way? There are loads of works and loads of

shops be opened this area, and on West Street, 12 years ago, that was

empty, but now there are loads of businesses around the area, and the

people running the businesses are worried about what is happening up

to Brexit. Would you go along with that,

Julian? You could end up with empty shops?

We could end up with a vacuum, yes, not only in the shops, but in the

warehouses and the destruction that has been built to make this work for

them. What they want to see, then? We have

heard these negotiations will start and go on for at least two years.

What do you want to see Theresa May get for us?

I wanted to make sure that there is a level playing field and that

people are going to get the rights that they are rightfully for,

because from now on, they are going to be UK citizens. That is the way I

would like to see it go. So are you now fully on board with

it, would you say? Yes, I voted to leave, but at the

end of the day, I want people to feel happy in their own space, and

that is what getting Boston together is all about.

Some people I spoke to today, Latvians, they were not particularly

settled or happy. They were very worried.

Well, yes, that is why the factories and gangmasters are using these

people. And we were talking about 0-hours

contracts, this is the wrong in this country. Because loads of people,

there is exploitation going on with the zero contract, and this is why

they work even more, and if Brexit happens, there will be more

exploitation. That is why people are thinking of leaving the UK.

Very interesting indeed. Levy finally ask both of you, Julian,

first of all, how optimistic Ayew for Boston Post Brexit?

Very optimistic. I want people to come together in the town and become

one. It hasn't happened up to now.

It hasn't, but this is one thing we're taking steps to answer, to

make sure people forward and feel part of a town, rather than being

segregated. And ??MACRO1, are you optimistic?

I am optimistic, but like I said, the council on the government need

to give it more information to the people who are already here, because

it will be too late if they are not given any information.

Very interesting to chat with you both. Thank you very much for

joining us here. Thank you for watching. We are live

from Boston on this Wednesday night with a Brexit special. Still ahead

on the programme tonight: What people in Boston want to see through

a Brexit deal. No show without Punch, and he has

been mentioned even in his absence wherever I have been today. "Is Your

mate with you? Is going to rain?" No. If I had been on the forecast

last night, you would not be wearing a cheap scarf you presumably got

from Boston market. Maybe you would like to apologise to

the market right now?! Let's have the forecast, then.

The headliners very mild one, I think.

In Boston tomorrow, every chance we could get 18 or 19 degrees. How

about that for the end of March? Cloud at first, it will slowly

brighten up up becoming exceptionally mild. April showers

for the weekend on Saturday, some sunshine in between, but this ridge

of high pressure, a forestay is the same, will ensure Sunday is the best

day, dry with some lovely April sunshine to come. All the weather is

coming up from the south-west, very mild direction, with these mild

temperatures, and you always expect a lot of cloud. That cloud has been

producing some outbreaks of rain and drizzle in the last few hours.

Basically, it becomes dry overnight, with a few clear intervals. Always a

lot of cloud, but night-time temperatures very mild indeed, 11th

Celsius. A moderate south-west wind continues. The sun rises at 06 40.

Your next high water time in Skegness at 0834 in the morning.

Fairly cloudy, bit of dampness, a risk of one or two areas of patchy

rain from the south-west, not amounting to very much. The main

trend is slow, but it is for brighter skies to Bush over the

cell. South Lincolnshire brightening up first, and that brightness should

get all way across the Humber by the end of the afternoon. Let's look at

the top temperatures. They average around ten for the 2nd of March, so

look at that. 17 across East Yorkshire, 18-19 in Boston, Holbeach

and King's Lynn. The chance of the odd 20, which is pretty remarkable.

Let's look at the further outlook. Patchy rain perhaps for Friday

morning, Saturday looks fine with some sunshine and April showers.

Fine on Sunday. That is the forecast.

And Jeffrey tweeted earlier on to say, I bet you have to wear a tie at

the golf club, and several people said the same after your comments

last night. Actually, I have an exemption,

Peter. I yes, because you are a VIP in your

own mind! See you tomorrow. Enjoy it.

Yes, I will. Small businesses say they will be

hit "disproportionately hard" if tariffs are imposed

on European Union imports The man in charge of Britain's

departure from the EU and one of our local MPs, David Davis,

admitted that leaving the EU without a trade deal could create

new tariffs and barriers. In the coming talks,

businesses say free and easy trade Our Business Correspondent

Leanne Brown is here. Why is trading with

Europe so important? Well, with small businesses, 90% of

those that export do so with EU countries, so that is why it is so

important to them. Having said that, almost as many, 78%, also trade with

other countries, places like America, China and New Zealand. So

businesses are very much divided on the impact that Brexit might have.

What is clear is that there have been winners and losers since the

referendum, and I have been speaking to some small businesses about the

impact it has had, and their hopes for the future.

We have just had Mother's Day, so obviously this is

The flowers that we sell here come from numerous countries.

I would say predominantly we use Dutch flowers and Colombian

and obviously we support all the local English

Britain leaving the EU has already affected our business.

As soon as we all woke up that morning and found

out we were leaving, the pound devalued and immediately

My main concern is how we're going to trade directly

with European and other countries and also what is going

Mark, we need to count the stock now.

I think it is an exciting time for the country.

We've just got to stay positive whether we are going through a tough

We make creams gels and cents, and import essential oils.

Straightaway, we have seen orders coming in because of the way the

euro and dollar have gone against the pound. The future for us is, we

are a bit concerned about tariffs that might come up when we come out

of the EU. Also, Commonwealth countries, America, New Zealand,

etc, whether we will have tariffs from them or none. We don't know how

it will be coming for it is going to go.

The busiest time is always Christmas but closely followed by Easter.

Like baking, or anything else, the proof of the pudding

It's somehow or other making it with your hands

It makes it taste better. We are increasing our sales rapidly.

My son went with the Department of International Trade

on a three-day introduction to exporting over to Holland

We are looking into the possibility of that at the minute.

We don't see that Brexit will hold us up in any way.

It is what it is and so we're just going to head

Britain is very renowned for quality of its products.

So, different experiences from the businesses

What assurances do companies want to see secured by the government

In a nutshell, they want the transition to be as easy as

possible. One of the biggest advantages they have at the moment

is access to the single market, where businesses can import and

export without any taxes or tariffs. So many people will want to keep

hold of that or keep tariffs to a minimum. But of course, once we are

out of the EU, new trade deals can be arranged. Donald Trump, for

example, the president of the United States, has said he very much wants

a trade deal with the UK, but those deals can take time, so it could be

many years before we see any movement there.

Another concern for businesses is getting enough people to do the

work. Some people say there is too much migration, but others, like

farmers, say they need those people to do the work. At the moment, we

have the free movement of people, which means that those who live

within the EU are free to live and work in other countries in the EU.

There is no guarantee that that will stay post Brexit. What is likely to

replace it as some sort of Visa or work permit system, but of course,

that will also apply to Britons who want to go elsewhere as well. And

then finally, there is the issue of the exchange rates. Once Britain

voted to leave the EU, the value of the pound plummeted against the

dollar, down by 15%, and against the Euro, about 12%. That is good for

exporters, but bad for importers. And now article 50 has been

triggered, businesses will be keeping a very close eye on that.

But Peter, businesses are very resilient, and they tell me they are

pretty used to change. Good, good. One business, the lovely

flower company, sent me some flowers back from when you went filming.

Lucky you! You did not get anything, but I got

a boat Quay. Thanks to the ladies for the flowers.

I have been speaking to people here to find out

what they are hoping for when we leave the European Union.

What do you want from Brexit now in Boston?

I think the Boston justified its own way. I think we're quite accepting

that we're going to leave the EU. -- Boston to find its own way. But the

people I hear, we want them to stay here, and just be a community

together. Had you think Brexit is going to

affect Boston? I am not sure. I hope will not

affect anything. That we will stay where we are, in our working places,

and our families. It is bad for the people that are

scamming the country, yes. They need to be shifted. But the ones that are

earning tax for this country should have a right to really have them.

What would you do with those who are not earning tax for the country?

Kick them out. It may be a good thing, to reduce

the amount of foreign people. I know I am foreign.

But you want less foreign people here?

Yes. But you are foreign. Yes. We have survived the first nine

months, so I be all right. When you ask them why they want to

leave, they can't tell you. They just say, we want our country back.

And when you say when, or from who, they can't and a year.

Lovely people I met in Boston market earlier today. That go back to our

Let's go back to our political editor, Tim Iredale,

Article 50 has been triggered. What can we expect now?

we know there will be a lengthy period of negotiation. For more than

40 years, many of the laws that govern our daily lives have been set

not by Westminster but by Brussels, so the government must now decide

which of the thousands of pieces of EU legislation to keep and those it

wants to ditch, and we are talking about so a different areas here. EU

regulations that go fishing, farming, the environment.

Cooperation between police forces, pet passports, and arguably the

biggest headache for the government, the law surrounding immigration,

which I know you have talked about in Boston tonight. So the man with a

great deal on his plate tonight is the halt in price and Howden MP

David Davis, who is Theresa May's Brexit Secretary, because he has got

to make all this work. The clock is ticking, because we only have two

years to come up with a negotiation. In March 2019, we will be out of the

EU, whether there is a deal or no deal, Peter.

Thank you much indeed. Joining me here just outside the hotel on the

side of the river is Paul Kenny, former mayor of Boston. Good evening

to you. Good evening. You voted remain. Ayew disappointed? No, I am

not disappointed. I have heard what the people of Boston have said. A

lot of things the local people were saying, I agree with them. I

personally wanted to stay in Europe, but I didn't want to stay in Europe

with no change in Boston, and one thing I am pleased about is, we need

change, and the quicker we get it, the better.

And when you say change, what you want to see? Do you need more money

for services? Well, I don't think we need to wait two years to sort out a

lot of the problems in Boston. The licensing of HMOs, houses in

multiple occupation, having a proper street ban on the town, and also,

having a walk-in surgery to take pressures of the local hospital. We

can do that tomorrow. What we can do in the meantime is sought out a

proper immigration strategy and policy I can work for the long-term.

Do you think there will be a decline in the town if the migrants leave?

I think that comes from two issues, really. I want to see the end of

exploitation. The workers in this town on 0-hours contracts are bad

for this town, so in a sense, if people leave because of those

contracts and wages, the industry needs to do that. But I'll so

recognise that Boston needs an agricultural industry.

Mark, you voted to leave. I think it is rude frustrating that

today has finally arrived. You could have conceived and given birth in

the time it has taken to actually get the vote going ahead today.

What do you want to see? Well, I want to see... Obviously,

the U did not turn into what our forefathers voted for in the 70s,

and we need to see some stronger control of our borders. We need to

invest in our own infrastructure. The money we can save that has gone

out to Europe could go an awful long way to improving sleepy little

market towns like Boston, which have struggled under a massive influx of

a burden. And you very much indeed. Paul,

thank you very much. Plenty of negotiations to go on over the next

two years. Stand-by in a moment when Andrew Neil will sell to the Prime

Minister on BBC One. I will see you tomorrow at the same time. Take

care, good night. I expect you'll want to become

a schoolmaster? That's what most of the gentlemen

does that get sent down for indecent behaviour.

Evelyn Waugh's classic novel. Have you ever been in love,

Mr Pennyfeather? No, not yet. The fire escape is very dangerous

and never to be used, MasterChef is back, to find the

country's best home chef. The MasterChef kitchen is alive once

more. Come on, let's go! That's one of the hardest things

I've ever had to do in my life.