THE UK will leave the EU at 11pm on Friday, March 29, 2019 – a year today. As the countdown to Brexit starts in earnest, The Northern Echo visited four communities in the North-East and North Yorkshire to discover residents’ views on how the process has been handled so far – and if people knew in June 2016 what they know now, would they still vote the same way?

NORTHALLERTON

The North Yorkshire district of Hambleton voted to leave by 53.7 per cent compared to 46.3 per cent remain. Alexa Copeland paid a visit to Northallerton mart to speak to farmers about Brexit.

Stuart Bell, a farming auctioneer and partner in a sheep farm at Askrigg, said he remembers life before the EU in the 1950s and 60s and believes the country has been better off since being part of the union.

“I voted to stay in and I would still vote to stay in now. I understand that there will be new tariffs when we leave and we have had a really good trade in sheep for the last two months and most of that has been export trade. If after Brexit there is some sort of tariff to take them into Europe, it will depress the market. I have no idea what reciprocal tariff we will put on their goods.”

John Southgate, 58, of Southgate and Partners in Borrowby, farms suckling cows and sheep.

“I voted to stay in. I hope she (Theresa May) comes up with a good deal, she is trying hard I think. We are only a very small country and I don’t think we will get the same trade deals if we are not in. I would support another referendum when the negotiations are through.”

Graham Taylor, 56, is an arable, sheep and pig farmer from Thirsk and has been farming all his life.

“I voted leave because I wanted us to regain our sovereignty. I realised at the time that farmers were probably going to be worse off in this, but it is a price worth paying. I would still vote leave. Everybody is saying people that voted for leave didn’t vote for this, that and the other, but you can’t pick and choose and she (Theresa May) is the person voted to represent us so we have got to get behind her whole-heartedly.”

Steven Hills has been in farming for 50 years and has a mixed arable and sheep farm in Wetherby.

“I voted to come out, I thought we would be better off on our own. Everything has got better and I would still definitely vote to come out again. It will come down to a compromise, but I think for us farmers, we just have to make sure that our produce is the best stuff and somebody will want to buy it.

I’m not concerned at all.”

Andrew Kettlewell has a mixed sheep, arable and pig farm near Leyburn and voted to leave the EU.

“I think I would still vote leave. The only thing is I don’t think we have the right person in charge, I think she is giving in too easily myself and I don’t think she is being as tough as she should be.

Although, to be honest, looking around there isn’t much to choose from but I think we could do with tougher negotiations. I’m not saying get Nigel Farage in charge, but perhaps we need somebody like that really. A lot of them in the EU we never even voted for them, we don’t know who half of them are and they are making all these rules and regulations for our country.”

Thomas Barley is a Northallerton beef and sheep farmer. Now 18, he was too young to vote in the 2016 referendum but is a passionate remainer and said he convinced his parents to vote to stay in the EU.

“We don’t know what tariffs there will be to bring stuff in and out (of Europe) and if it is going to cost a lot to get it over there then it is obviously going to affect prices and trade. At the time (of the referendum) it was unknown what was going to happen and I still think it could go either way. We didn’t know whether EU farming subsidies would last and a lot of farmers rely on it, especially hill farmers. I was probably more passionate (about remaining) than the older generation and it is a bit frustrating that I couldn’t vote but it has happened now and you have to get on with it.”

HARTLEPOOL

In Hartlepool, 69.6 per cent of people voted to leave, with 30.4 per cent ticking the remain box. Georgia Banks went out and about to see if residents had changed their views.

Catherine Duff, 39, of Hartlepool, said: “I voted to stay because I didn’t think there was any need to change, everything is going to be different and the public don’t know what’s going on. The changes may be good or bad, we don’t know if things which were brought in by the EU will be kept. I hope we get a good deal but it seems like negotiations are a mess, nobody seems to know what they’re doing. Plans keep getting delayed, I don’t see why we’re changing everything we worked hard for.”

Alan Hogstedt, 76, of Hartlepool, said: “I voted to leave because I didn’t like the EU’s formation or the way it did its business. I would vote in the same way again. I don’t know if the UK will get a good deal as we’re nowhere near the finishing line.

“I think people get the impression that the EU has the upper hand, we are reacting to what they say. I hope the negotiators can get themselves better organised.”

Julia O’Neil, 49, of Hartlepool, said: “All my family voted to leave but I voted to stay as I think we have it good and don’t want to see it changed. I don’t think any negotiations are going on right now, we won’t get a good deal.

The North-East voted out because the migrant issue took over, a lot of people thought there were too many migrants coming in and thought this would resolve it.”

Mark Coats, 38, of Hartlepool, said: “I voted to remain because I run my own business and do a lot of trade with Europe. I think by us leaving it will affect my business as it will be harder.

“The negotiations are a mess but time will tell, a lot of people in Hartlepool voted to leave unfortunately, as they worry about immigrants taking their jobs.”

Donner Passfield, 36, of Hartlepool, said: “I can’t remember how I voted but I don’t think I would vote now as it is very complex to follow. I don’t think we will get a good deal because of Theresa May, she seems to be saying one thing and doing another.

“I think in Hartlepool a lot more people would have voted leave than remain because there are more opportunities down south, kids in schools don’t get the opportunities Londoners do, which we would like.”

Louise Lake, 48, of Hartlepool, said: “I didn’t vote in the referendum as I didn’t think my vote would count. I was going to vote leave but now I am glad I didn’t as I don’t agree with it. I don’t think we will get a good trade deal because the negotiations have been handled badly by Theresa May.”

DARLINGTON

Darlington voted 56.2 per cent to 43.8 per cent to leave the EU. Shoppers in the town spoke to Paige McDermott with a year to go to Brexit.

Raymond Cuthbert, 65, of Darlington, said: “I voted to remain and would not vote differently, it’s been absolute chaos. I think it’s been handled appallingly to be quite honest, and a national humiliation politically and economically.

"I feel sad for those who voted leave because they were made promises that just weren’t kept. They’ve been fed nonsense.”

Sandra Richmond, 71, of Darlington, said: “I didn’t vote for it and I think I would stay the same if there was another referendum. I have a funny feeling that we are going to be worse off when we leave. We have had no backing from other countries about the decision and we need them to bring business to the country.”

Kendra Fry, 59, of Darlington, said: “I voted stay and I wouldn’t change my decision because all the segregation is causing more problems for people when we should be working together.

"I’ve got no idea whether we will get a good trade deal and I don’t think anyone does. I don’t see how anyone can say we would be better off when we don’t know.”

Jashi, 37, of Darlington, said: “I voted leave because I think each nation should have their own sovereignty, but I don’t think leaving will make a great deal of difference to me personally. I understand that people who are self-employed or who have their own businesses will have more concern but there are pros and cons to both sides.”

Kath Dawson, 60, of Darlington, said: “I voted to stay and would vote stay again. Staying is really important for young people. There are so many opportunities in Europe for them and I wanted my daughter to have those opportunities. It will be harder for them if we leave the EU.”

Christopher Lappin, 21, of Darlington: “I haven’t voted overall but I think Brexit is a good thing. I don’t like how the EU was making all the decisions with laws and our politicians weren’t. I think it will be a good thing that now we are deciding Britain’s future.”

DURHAM

The City of Durham constituency voted 55 per cent to 45 per cent in favour of remaining in the EU. Rachel Conner-Hill asked residents and businesspeople for their views on Brexit today.

Jean Parish, from Coxhoe, didn’tvote in the referendum as she was living in France at the time, but would vote to leave. Speaking about any porrible trade deal, she said: “I think it’s going to be very hard and I’m not sure we will get a good deal. We’ve got the problem that through the world no one really likes us so theytake us for a ride.

"They’re not sad about us leaving, only about losing the money.”

On the negotiations, she adds: “It’s been up and down. Until the deal is done we won’t know. David Davies seems to be doing a good job and I think Boris can help. I know a lot of people don’t like him but he’s very intelligent.”

David and Sheila Mortimor, visiting Durham from Sussex,voted to leave and would stillvote to leave today.

On a trade deal, Mr Mortimor said: “In the short term, no. In the longer term, better and in the verylong term we will probably get to where we want to be.”

On the negotiations, Mrs Mortimor said: “I think that the Europeans seem to have no idea of the principle of negotiation. They don’t want to make it easy because of the other countries that might be feeling uneasy.

Colin Wilkes, manager of Durham Markets,voted to remain and would still vote the same way.

On a potential trade deal, he said: “I think we’re going to get a trade deal but not as good as within the EU. I just can’t see the EU bowing down and letting us walk away with something comparable with what we have. Certain parts of industry might benefit and other parts won’t.” He added: “The negotiation seems to be handled too publicly. It’s too much in the papers. I would think theyjust need to try and get round a table and realise both sides should compromise. What we don’t want is to get 11 months down the line and be no further forward.”

Richard Toynbee, manager of Prince Bishops Shopping Centre, Durham,voted to remain and would still vote to remain today. On a potential trade deal, he said: “I think the EU is having to be careful. There are a few countries teetering on the edge and they need to do something to stop them so they can’t give us too good a deal. There’s got to be a penalty to leaving.”

On the negotiations, he said: “In business ifyou conduct a negotiation you’re playing your cards close to your chest and you don’t go public.

“As the public we need to know what the deal is and we should be able to make a decision or Parliament make a decision rather than playing out every last point in public. That doesn’t seem right.”