Letter: Don't blame it all on the Brexit vote
Readers will no doubt share my grave concern that there is no reported change in the number of Trigonopterus Viridescens in Britain since the EU vote.
Had I known that this would happen I may have voted differently, maybe we all would. It all depends on one's affection for Trig. Virids (a flightless weevil).
Discerning readers will realise that I am illustrating the ridiculous and growing practice of linking trivial changes, or stagnation in anything, to the EU vote.
A perfect example of this appeared in the Shropshire Star, (August 18, page 7) where a report by Thom Kennedy was captioned 'Benefit numbers rise since EU vote'.
This article reported that ONS data revealed the number of benefits claimants rose by 110 in Shropshire and by 35 in Telford and Wrekin from June to July.
Subject to the usual caution with ONS pronouncements the numbers quoted are no doubt correct, and in overall terms show small statistical fluctuations which could have any number of causes. And In using the qualification 'small' I am in no way being disrespectful to new claimants
There can be no justification whatever for the caption to that article, and it's clear inference the there is a direct singular 'cause and effect' relationship.
It's time to stop screaming 'It's the vote'.
Bob Groom, Trench
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