Express & Star

'A disappointing confusing mess': Bridgnorth market shoppers on Brexit

Politics? Politicians? To say praise was thin on the ground among stallholders and customers at Bridgnorth's market under the arches of the ancient town hall would be a distinct understatement.

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And while there was the spread of opinions on you-know-what which reflect a divided country, there was broad agreement on one thing – that's it's all a mess which they need to sort out.

Perhaps surprisingly, all the comments were fit to print amongst those at Friday's market miles away from the Westminster bubble.

Some were Remainers, others wanted Brexit – but universally all were united in their dismay at the behaviour of politicians.

T.A. Pet Supplies stallholder Tom Abbiss, 29, from Seisdon, said: "With Brexit it is not helping with them battling against each other. Everybody is in limbo and they are battling between themselves and it isn't good for the country. I haven't got a lot of praise for them at the moment."

Tom Abbiss: “We’re in limbo and it isn’t good for the country.”

Rudy Gammond, 64, of Shatterford, laughed and says: "Don't start me off!" as she shopped at the fruit and veg stall run by Tony Jervis.

"I'm dreadfully disappointed. The world is a mess. Brexit is a mess. Everything is a mess. Because of them. It's a bunch of rich people trying to get the country out. It's atrocious. They don't think of the people, the homeless, the poor. It's just about them. They can't sort it out because they are not capable of sorting it out because they have an ego so massively big."

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Favourite politician: "They're all terrible."

Least favourite: Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Over at the stall for Keith Alderson's Butchers, shopper Alison Murr, 47, of Bridgnorth, said: "I'm afraid a lot of the politicians are not earning their money at the moment. They should make a decision. If we are going to leave, they want to get it sorted and stop bickering among themselves. I was against leaving, but if the country has made the decision they need to get on and do it.

"I do feel sorry for Theresa May because she has ended up with having to sort this out. She didn't want to leave."

Favourite politician: None.

Least favourite: "Probably Jeremy Corbyn."

Ravinder Kaur: “It’s confusing. One person says this, and one says that.”

Ravinder Kaur, of Cradley Heath, who was manning Bob's Curry Hut stall said: "I don't understand politics, what they're doing, or what they're not. It's very confusing. One person says this, and one says that. I don't understand what's going on."

Jane Withers with Adam Galloway from Made in Bridgnorth

As she hovers around the Hand Made In Bridgnorth stall run by Adam Galloway, 64-year-old Jane Withers of Bridgnorth says: "I'm sick of it. I just wish they would get their act together, make a decision, and get on with it. What's going to happen is going to happen. We don't have a say in it anyway. They do what suits them.

"We have a house in Spain and that's a bit of a worry. I don't know potentially what's going to happen over there. That's a bit scary."

She voted Remain. "I probably still would, but my husband is adamant that he wouldn't want to remain any more – we both voted Remain."

Favourite politician: "I'm really fond of Philip Dunne. I think he's okay. I know people slag him off, but I like him."

Least favourite: "Jeremy Corbyn. He drives me nuts."

Jennifer Stacey, 58, of Bridgnorth, particularly recommended the scones as she shopped at the stall of Craven Arms' Shepherd Hills Bakery, but in contrast the state of affairs on the political scene is not to her taste.

"It's a complete dog's dinner, isn't it? The people who allowed it to happen resigned within 36 hours of the vote. They should have been made to stay to sort it out.

She wants to see Article 50 abolished.

"The money being spent should have gone on education, health care, social services, and the police and emergency services. I went into Birmingham last week and was horrified by the number of homeless people. It was absolutely shocking."

On a general point, she said: "I think people's behaviour has gone downhill, by which I mean both general behaviour and political behaviour. Everybody thinks it's okay to bash what they see as the opposition."

Favourite politician: "At the moment I would be hard pushed to name one."

Had she got a least favourite politician? "Yes," she smiled, but could not be induced to name him or her.