A local doctor's view of Brexit - worse in the North east

I'm Aidan and I work as Junior Doctor in the northeast NHS. When I was asked to do this talk I approached my consultant and asked her opinion on Brexit as a preamble to getting her thoughts on the topics I should talk about. Dr Sarah Jordan said "well Aidan, it's not going to be good, and it's going to be even worse for our region, in fact I feel so strongly about it that I joined the Liberal Democrats and ran as a councillor". Wow, I said, so did I.

Why would 2 people who were not active in politics before this do this? Because we are concerned about what Brexit means for the future of our country.

I work with people from around the European Union to deliver healthcare. I have already lost too many of my old friends and colleges to Brexit our NHS cannot afford to lose any more.

In a future trade deal with America the US ambassador has said that the NHS would be on the menu, Donald Trump has confirmed this. At 16 I had my right hand reconstructed by the NHS after an accident. I know that without that I would not be standing in front of you as a Doctor. I have 2 young children born in the NHS. The future that I wish to build for them does not involve the reduced access to healthcare embodied by the US healthcare system.

When I have talked about Brexit with my European colleges I initially see fear in their eyes. When I tell them I will fight with others to stop Brexit they have tears in their eyes. When I look into my children's eyes the future I wish for them is an open, tolerant, welcoming unified and trusting. I do not see these values embodied in Brexit.

We have heard about the NHS needing to stock pile 6 weeks of medicines and equipment. Friends, this the stuff of earthquakes and tsunamis, natural disasters. The Brexit process now looks like a runaway train, driven forward by the thumping pistons of ego and false promises. What we need now is a dead man's switch, a peoples vote to prevent disaster.

- Councillor Dr Aidan King speaking in Sunderland at a rally for a People's Vote 7 Juy 2019