Dear All,
My audience is global, so apologies, this is a UK thing – however I do think think it’s an event of global significance. Sorry I’ve not been posting here, but other priorities had taken over, and been unwell.
I don’t usually fund these kinds of things, or share them, as I generally don’t have much spare money and I figure people know what causes they want to support.
(For those of you who don’t know, Boris Johnson’s Conservative party won the general election on 12-Dec-2019 by a huge majority. The leave Europe Brexit bill was passed before Christmas, and UK will be leaving Europe on 31-Jan-2020, into transition period for trade talks, with UK totally left on 31-Dec-2020, provided things go according to plan)
I didn’t vote in the 2016 UK Brexit referendum (probably would have voted to stay in Europe, had I voted). Nearly 4 years has gone by, and the bickering has been utterly abhorrent, and caused me to struggle seriously financially (the pound dropped by 20% on foreign exchange when Brexit leave was announced, and I’m overseas – as an example of just one of the problems I’ve personally faced). The whole mess was an utter farce, and many people should be ashamed of themselves for not respecting a democratic vote, a leave Brexit by a majority, is what people wanted and what they voted for – so it should have been delivered, promptly, as was promised by all and without fuss.
Anyway, after some conversations with friends, and research into what’s been happening in UK under the rule by unelected European leaders, well, I’ve changed my mind. I’m a late to the game as a now Brexit leave supporter, but I think it’s best for UK, and the rest of the world.
The “bonging” of the Big Ben clock is symbolic of the people’s win in upholding democracy, after a nearly 4 year battle. I think the message carries more weight because we, the mostly “silent” moderate majority, have put our own money in for Big Ben clock to bong on 31-Jan-2020 @ 23:00 UK time, and not the government funding it. It also sends a message to democracy deniers, corrupt politicians and nefarious others, that we won’t stand for that anymore.
Also, after 40 years in Europe, leaving is a VERY big step for the UK, it’s an extremely historically significant event, globally. Big Ben is a world wide known icon of UK culture, standing and dominating London skyline since 1859.
So, if you’re able to chip in something, that’s great. Fully understand if it’s not right for you, you can’t afford it or you don’t care. More just spreading the word, trying to keep this post as least political as I can, in these very political times.
They have raised over £100000 in 24 hours, and, its kind of urgent, as they need to raise £500000 “by this weekend” (it’s only a couple of weeks before the event 31-Jan-2020)
For transparency I’ve donated £10 :
The link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/bigbenbongforbrexit
Hope this message finds you well, and that 2020 will be a prosperous and happy year for all of us.
If you’re commenting, please make it coherent and polite – if you want to be approved, and, responded to (if I have time).
Cheers
Don
Don Charisma 
I think the EU will swap London’s access to their financial markets against other issues such as fishing rights. They’ve already more or less said this.
I’m not sure which of your other comments are humorous.
Trump’s deal is in broad terms I think. Ours with the EU affects every aspect of our daily life. It will all need renegotiating and can be vetoed or delayed by any of the other 27? countries. China USA is 2 countries and limited to just some things, a lot simpler.
There’s another advantage – Not having to have things agreed by 27 countries.
I also heard there’s a Canadian trade deal they were talking about using as a framework for deals with other countries. This would presumably speed up trade deals with other countries.
I heard the same thing fishing vs banking.
There’s also now a legal challenge over whether EU citizenship can be removed from UK citizens, might be of interest to you – there’s a petition too with over 100000 signatures.
👍
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jan/14/total-to-move-financial-hub-from-london-to-paris-after-brexit
Thanks for sharing.
Apart from coming out of a publication, I would put in the loo and use as toilet paper. Although I did have a good laugh at #OwenJonesIsAWankerDay trending on twtter, and Ash Sarkar’s “Luxury Communism Now!” on her about me on twitter
Anyway, suggested already you look for other news outlets who aren’t doom and gloom, ie lefty remainers/ communist elitist globalist billionaires trying to scare people – to help with the blood pressure … but you know what’s best for you, sorry, giving advice when it wasn’t asked, is a bit rude.
I don’t know the size of Total, or what impact that would in real terms have on then city, or UK economy. But this from Wikipedia :
“Total S.A. is a French multinational integrated oil and gas company founded in 1924” they are number 6 in the world.
So it seems “diversity is our strength” isn’t something Total S.A. agree with, they’d prefer to be with their own kind. So are they fascist-racist-Nazis? If I was an SJW, then I’d be calling them racists on twitter right now.
Paris I heard was full of 300000 “illegal” immigrants sleeping rough. Yellow vests protesting every week for over a year – (I think) over pension reform, and green tax on their fuel (because many rural people now have to commute up to 2 hours each way, every day, because they lost their manufacturing/manual jobs, presumably caused/allowed by French government) … at one point Macron was openly talking about using military chemical weapons on them, that’s WAY WAY over the top.
They’ve some serious austerity problems in France from what I understand, part of the European tinder box.
Paul Joseph Watson describes himself as a Stoic, I don’t know how that translates in political terms, probably for most modern leftists that translates to right-wing, same as anyone who doesn’t align with Comrade Corbyn. Anyway :
Paris is a shithole – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RNMu5-9sUA
I visited Paris before it became a shithole. It was very expensive. The hotel room we paid ordinary rate for was very tiny, and expensive. I found the city overrated, and as a consequence very low on list of places I’d visit again. “The Arch Of Triumph” – I mean how pretentious is that ?
Paris has a city tax on top of national taxes. So it’s expensive.
Property is expensive, renting and buying. Apartments are tiny, about the size of a room in a flatshare in London.
Cheese, wine and croissants were good though 🙂 They were expensive.
Did I mention Paris is expensive ?
So, wouldn’t be my first choice, Singapore makes more sense, but I guess that’s not in Europe. And what about Zurich, that’s landlocked with Europe, with banks everywhere. I guess they must just be racists then.
So, if Total S.A. want to go, good riddance, I hope the relocation costs are extortionate, and they find out they made more problems for themselves than they solved. And I hope the UK doesn’t let them back when they fail, or France proper kicks of, or Comrades at Brussels go full communism on Europe.
Any ideas on how to make a voodoo doll for Total S.A ?
On the flip side, Lucky Paris, sounds like they could use those jobs right now, sounds like they are struggling.
ANYWAY …
New business is waiting to come in to UK. Smart money would/must have waited for Brexit to be ironed out. Good things will happen. Have faith.
And apologies, sometimes I get bit carried away when writing, no offence meant, just my sense of humour kicks in now and again.
Ooh!! You are a character 😘
🙂 Same, even though we don’t seem to be politically aligned, it’s great chatting to you. One can always learn from one’s “opponents” 🙂
If you wanted to do a guest blog here, and where able to muzzle the left tenancies (at least a little), ie try make it more a-political, and kind of fits in – the offers there.
I checked out your blog reading.wordpress.com (it shows on my sidebar) but doesn’t seem to have been updated since 2006. Added a follow whilst I was there.
“A thousand EU financial firms plan to open UK offices after Brexit”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-banks/a-thousand-eu-financial-firms-plan-to-open-uk-offices-after-brexit-idUSKBN1ZJ00D
Reuters I believe have some integrity in financial jounalism …
Firstly, by your logic on the Scottish referendum the rest of the EU should have been able to vote in our EU referendum. Though I think you were making a joke when you said that.
The usual policy in referendums that intend to implement major constitutional change is to require a supermajority of 2 thirds or something. I think we can all recognise that if our politicians had done this the country would not have suffered this split and these intense withdrawal pains in the way it has. The argument would not have been won, but could have continued as before, without the intense pressures and divisions, giving time for more reflection and letting public debate continue till more people were persuaded. The MPs were lazy and unprofessional in allowing it to happen the way it did.
I’ve not called anyone stupid apart from Cameron, but people have been deliberately misinformed by some newspapers.
I feel cheated out of my European citizenship and I’m still angry. It gave me rights I have lost for no good reason.
Yes we have to go on. I expect the same newspapers to continue to lie about what’s happening to the economy and the country and to support Johnson. This week they abolished A and E waiting time targets but the only paper that put it on the front page was The Guardian. The rest ignored it. They tell you what they want you to know.
I think after a referendum with a leave stay option politicians were only doing their job when they scrutinised the withdrawal agreement and demanded a referendum on what leaving would actually mean.
Best wishes to you too.
I don’t see the logic, so we’ll have to agree to disagree. My point was as a UK citizen, maybe I don’t want Scotland as part of UK (actually I do, I like the Scots, and hoped they stay in 2014), therefore shouldn’t I have a say ?
Anyway – The Scottish referendum was decided in 2014, we just had Brexit referendum in 2016. Given the problems that’s caused, do you really think it’s wise to have yet another referendum in UK. Shouldn’t we be concentrating on dealing with more important issues like the immigration crisis, crime, NHS, schools, mental health, jobs, small business’, prosperity for all, protecting our young girls (and boys) from pedos, etc etc etc ? Rather than bickering about leave/remain, limiting people’s free speech, identity politics, endless woke bullshit and listening to entitled celebrities hypocritically preaching propaganda to us. Most normal level headed people are just trying to survive, life is tough enough for many of us as it is, without yet more endless uncertainty. People want security, health, jobs, business’, prosperity, lives, friends, families and feeling of belonging/mattering in their communities.
The terms of the Brexit referendum as I understand it were majority win (Same as Scotland 2014?), even if that’s 50.00000000001% – changing the rules because one doesn’t like the result, isn’t playing fair, I don’t think you’d like it if someone did it to you. Rules are rules, laws are laws at the end of the day.
If anything, outside of far-left echo chambers, and the London bubble, many people have become more pro-leave since 2016, myself included.
I was very disappointed with Cameron resigning, but I guess politically he had no choice. I’d probably concede and agree with “stupid”. Teresa May was a waste of space. Boris has actually managed to get on with what people voted for, in what seems like we might get a good deal, if he doesn’t mess it up.
I never said *you* called anyone stupid. But, asking someone a second time, because you didn’t like (or worse try to force) their decision, is pretty rude at best, or at worst tyrannical. Freedom of choice, and respect for their choice, is something most people value very highly. Tyranny is something most will actively resist.
I’m sorry for my ignorance (being honest, not sarcastic), but I don’t know what rights you’ve lost (presumably I’ve lost them too, and I don’t even know what they are). I get that you’re annoyed, and acknowledge that. I’ve been annoyed about Brexit since 2016 too, it’s had many *serious* negative consequences for me too, and the longer it’s dragged on the worse it’s got. I’m relieved that it’s now actually happening, and *I hope* it will be a good thing for us all.
As for European citizenship, correct if I’m wrong, but before 31-Jan, it’s quite possible to move to France, Germany, Italy etc, and I’m fairly sure Europe will allow British ex-pats to stay indefinitely (or so I’ve heard). Might even be able to do that after 31-Jan (sorry I’m no expert here). Is dual citizenship possible ?
I have *ZERO* faith in virtually *any* UK, American or Australian mainstream media outlets. Most have gone from actually reporting news and current affairs to BIAS propaganda outlets, fake-news and partisan bullshit. No one mainstream in UK is reporting on yellow-vests in France, for instance – and that’s been going on for over a year. The French are having some real poverty issues. Amongst many other problems across Europe I’m hearing from non-fake news outlets.
The Guardian used to be good, real journalism. These days, I look elsewhere for non-fake news, woke I am not, probably never will be. I already mentioned NHS is important for UK citizens, if true the A&E thing is disappointing. The NHS has some major cracks, it’s never been perfect and I don’t know how they can be fixed. But at least we have it in UK, many countries don’t have guaranteed free healthcare.
Oh, and there’s many many people who have things far worse in the world than us – China, Hong Kong, Venezuela, Iran, a lot of Africa and plenty of others. So, perhaps spare a thought for them too.
Even though we don’t seem to agree on quite a lot, it’s interesting and helpful to hear your perspectives – I do hope things will work out OK for you, and I do hope Brexit will work out OK.
Cheers for the chat.
Best wishes
Don
PS – I posted our previous chat on front page of my blog, as I thought others might be interested too.
Thanks. I really enjoyed reading this reply, it was very interesting and I agree with lots of what you say.
As you say we’re fortunate to live here in the UK. But that doesn’t mean we should just give up on things we believe in. We got here on the backs of people who cared.
By any estimate Brexit is bad for the economy- and certainly bad for British industry. We don’t know how bad yet. Rees Mogg moved the headquarters of his investment company to Dublin, or opened an office there because of Brexit. I think that speaks volumes.
Brexit was promoted by a small group of people with massive access to media companies owned by tax exiles. The Barclay brothers own the Telegraph and live in Guernsey. Lord Rothermere lives in Monaco – Daily Mail. Murdoch Sun / Times – based one Dakota or some low tax US state.
None of these companies have our interests at heart and don’t like the EU attitude to tax and regulations. Two of the prime movers of Brexit are/ were paid by these people- Johnson worked for The Telegraph and Gove’s wife Sarah Vine for the Daily Mail Group.
The Mail introduced the toxic term the will of the people. It was only ever the will of just over half the people and not that now. And that two percent difference or whatever can be explained by the reporting in these papers.
I have a friend who came to the UK in good faith, as a European citizen and married an English National. Their status is legally unclear. Another living in France who has had to take French nationality – she’s married to a Frenchman- because that was the only way she could keep her job as a teaching assistant.
And as for the UK to be frank I’m not sure how long that will last. No one told us about that in the referendum.
My pleasure, I also enjoyed chatting, it was helpful to me. If we agreed on everything, we’d have nothing to talk about and nothing to learn from each other. I’m glad you’re polite and able to discuss without taking it personally, these days seems that’s far too common on places like Twitter, people are just acting like 5 year olds. And this cancel culture and other insanity has to stop, IMO.
I’ve heard many of the doom and gloom reports since 2016, none of which affected me in a positive way. In the end neither of us can know for sure, what the outcome will be, as we’ve been in Europe for I think 47 years now. Until we actually leave we won’t know, for sure. In any case no-one knows the future. My hope is that we will be prosperous, and having access to trade deals with Canada, America, China, Australia, Asia and whoever we like, could actually be better. And not just better for us, better for those countries too, trade is usually mutually beneficial.
The Honda factory shutting down in Swindon knocked 30% of the value of a friend’s property in a single day, and now he can’t sell it – and he needs the money. They said they weren’t leaving because of Brexit, but that’s bullshit if you ask me. Dyson relocated his headquarters to Singapore, again said it wasn’t to do with Brexit, and again I reckon that’s BS.
FX rates dropped 20% on the Brexit announcement, and pound has continued to dwindle ever since. So many ex-pats have suffered financially because of Brexit, many have had to return home as their money wouldn’t stretch far enough.
And, I’m sure both of us could list many other bad consequences before we’ve even left. So, it’s already been bad.
I think it’s well known amongst anyone with half an ounce of common sense that the puppet masters (wealthy globalist elites) are shadow controlling whats going on. You’ve obviously researched it more than I have, and know more about it. I like the clip I saw on youtube of a banker “whispering” into Ronald Regan’s ear, basically commanding him to stop talking – look it up for yourself, if you haven’t seen it already. The banker didn’t know the microphone would pick up his voice.
I’d always considered myself a centrist, and as I’m fairly conscientious person, and have had to be financially conservative in order to survive. I’ve always supported myself, and family, through my own labour and effort. The rise of the far-left ideologues and their identity politics, and one’s natural inclination to become more conservative with age, well, puts me as a conservative, and more likely to read the publications you mention (have noted what you said though). Although these days I read most things with a pinch of salt, and look for smaller, more niche outlets for better quality news. I think that’s how it’s going for real news outlets, and I think there’s big opportunities out there for real journalism, and also startup/small TV and Film makers.
You mention “the will of the people”, not sure I’d describe that as a “toxic” term. And you mentioned again the rules of the referendum. I don’t know what else to say about this- they could have done it by county or council district I suppose. They could have had compulsory voting like they have in Australia. There may be different ways of setting up the rules, but that wasn’t how it was. I don’t think *anyone* was expecting a leave result, all the polls predicted remain, and the markets had already priced in a remain. In the end we just have to accept what was, and is, whether we like the result or not. If change is needed then lobby those who might be able to change these things for future voting, I have no influence to change *anything* about how voting is conducted. And, as I said before I didn’t even vote. Nor did I see much point in my local MP for general election, as they were labour, and it’s a labour seat and they ended up with 20000 majority.
I also have friends from EU in various circumstances, some in UK, some in Europe, some in other countries. They’ve known about Brexit result since 2016, so it’s plenty of time to make alternative arrangements. Switching country doesn’t have to be a bad thing, there are probably still a lot of great places to live in Europe. Or elsewhere, South East Asia is beautiful. And I always wanted to go to Brazil, maybe one day I will.
Neither of us know the future. I’m trying to keep positive on what’s happening, (even though Brexit has royally kicked my plans in the teeth), and I’m hoping things will work out for you also.
Cheers
Don
You seem well informed just more accepting of the situation. The car industry will be badly affected. Rees Mogg said 50 years before we see benefits. But he only said that after the referendum.
I got fed up with not understanding what was going on with Brexit, and politics in general, so last month or so been studying everything I can find.
I think other industries will fill up the space, we’re a country that has lead the world in technology, aviation, military, art, music and plenty of other things (well maybe not cuisine !). I heard Wetherspoons is opening lots of new pubs (which could be a good or bad thing, depends on which way you look at it).
I met Boris once briefly in passing, near London bridge when he was Mayor, he was on a pushbike on his way home. He seemed like an OK guy, smiled at me and wasn’t “stuck up” or “snobby”, and somewhat charismatic. So, I quite like him, seemed like someone I might get on with on a personal level. Hopefully he won’t let us down.
Mostly I just want Brexit over so I can get back on with my life, and some certainty again.
Cheers for the chats, take care
Don
I admire your optimism. I notice today Sajid Javid has said not all industries will benefit from Brexit as we will abandon EU standards and that will require extra paperwork – oh dear – wasn’t that why the Brexiteers wanted to leave in the first place, because of the paperwork?
But it’s the first time a Brexiteer has admitted that industry will suffer. They’re getting us ready for the failures it will bring. Any industry with just in time links to European production will leave as in Swindon – they’ll go to the end of the current design/ model but any new models will be made somewhere else in Europe. I think you can probably wave goodbye to Aerospace too. When the next design iteration comes in the wings will be made in Europe.
It’s going to be like boiling a frog or death by a thousand cuts. It’ll happen slowly, most people won’t notice; but if you lose your job you will.
As for certainty it’s 10 years at least of renegotiating trade deals round the world, so that’s far from certainty. How will that work out? We know no details about the future, just that we will have left. More than 50% of our trade is with Europe so if we don’t play ball with them….. we lose those exports.
The whole point of Boris is that he’s got the common touch. He’s a front man. The real driving forces are Gove and Dominic Cummings. Apparently Cummings is a clever man. He’ll need to be. Maybe he’ll be able to create new industries here in green energy or something which we can do alone – as opposed to cars which are multinational.
Cummings’ main skill is in propaganda though. He’s won two referendums and an election https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/12/dominic-cummings-honed-strategy-2004-vote-north-east
So however bad things get it’s likely that most people will still think everything’s fine.
In the end we’ve gained nothing by leaving. Name me one serious, actual important benefit? Apart from some crazy idea of freedom. This article is pretty good on that idea:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/17/nul-points-eu-revision-contest-brexiters-big-ben
I’m not sure whether you’re deliberately trying to raise my blood pressure!! I hope not. Have a great weekend.
Sorry about the blood pressure, wasn’t my intention at all, started by sharing the big ben thing, and ended up spending hours chatting to remainers …
I heard of the “brains” guy, watched a youtube about him, think it was Cummings, he’s supposed to be some kind of political genius. And, yeah Boris probably personable sales guy like you say, front man.
I also heard about the news you’ve shared via “Jeff Taylor” on YouTube. He’s conservative/leave so might not be your cup of tea. I’m fairly sure he’s trying to fill the gap between nothing and the fake-news, and his narratives seem to tie up with reality (which you’ve just helped prove by sending me this). There’s a few others I found on youtube who post everyday, but they are all leave/conservative/ex-ukip, so don’t think you’d want me to share them. I learn quicker via video, I read quite slowly.
One actual important benefit – control of our own borders, and sensible merit based immigration. From what I’ve heard this WAS/IS a key factor in people ticking leave box. UK has always been multi-cultural as long as I’ve been alive. I think people were just getting fed up with the quantity and quality of the immigrants that were being brought in, with EU in control not us. Also economic migrants posing as refugees. Some good people obviously, but also complete scumbags too. Trump said it rather bluntly in US about Mexicans, and then the wall.
– Ability to do trade deals worldwide without EU’s say-so.
– 20 billion pounds a year extra which Europe currently net keeps
– Not becoming part of the European communist empire, and being leaders in rejecting it, and not being around when the tinder box really kick off.
– Making French people fill in a form to visit UK (sorry, age old French-English rivalry, they’re as bad as we are)
– Wonky potatoes in all the supermarkets (about 1/4 of the price of European specification ones)
– Set our own prices for everything produced in the UK in the supermarket, rather than what Europe says we have to sell for
– More pubs courtesy Wetherspoons
– Not having to contribute to planned European armed forces
– Maybe get our fishing waters back, rather than Dutch mega-trawlers over-fishing our waters.
– Vape what you want, rather than what Europe says you can
– Go back to pounds and ounces ? Inches and feet ?
– Get British/Welsh/Scottish/Irish culture back
– Get back the nice black passports we used to have (rather than those crappy, flimsy European ones)
– “Make UK Great Again” hats
– Not having to see that European parliament again on TV, ever again.
– Anne Widdicombe for Prime Minister
– Currency back up to where it was, for cheap holidays and help ex-pats living abroad
– Investment money that’s been waiting on the sidelines for Brexit to finally happen
– Free Assange ?
– A SENSE OF FINALITY, CLOSURE AND END OF UNCERTAINTY, GET ON WITH MY LIFE.
Sorry, some of the above are humour … ran out of ideas in the end …
From what I understand, UK is one of the MAIN banking centers worldwide, so that’s a plus for us.
I really don’t know much about trade deals, but didn’t Trump just do one with China, in less than a year ?
A suggestion for you, regarding the blood pressure – perhaps have a look around at the nonremain, nonremoan, nonrejoin news outlets, they are far less doom and gloom I think, and going into Brexit with a positive outlook. Youtube with some digging yielded the results I wanted. Happy to suggest, but don’t know if you’d like the channels.
Rolls Royce will probably stay ? And aren’t they a major manufacturer for all kinds of aircraft engines, used by many aircraft manufacturers ?
Could be we’ll all be living out of cardboard boxes in 10 years, or UK might be booming. Dunno Senior Reader, I guess expect the worst, and hope for the best.
Have a good weekend also.
Cheers
Don
PS, can we have Welsh currency, same as Scotland and Ireland ?
PS, can we have Welsh currency, same as Scotland and Ireland ?
More than 50% of the population voted for parties that wanted to remain or have a second referendum. So much for democracy and the voice of the people.
The Scottish MPs also want to have a second Scottish referendum, after a “once in a generation” referendum in 2014. Question on my mind in 2014, was why was I not given a vote on whether I want Scotland to be part of UK – so perhaps the rest of the UK should be given that vote, rather than Scotland. Or, if you want to be really fair about it, the whole UK has a vote on whether Scotland stays or leaves the UK, not just Scotland.
As for Brexit, are you really sure that it’s fair to say to a population who voted leave in 2016, ie the 52% – “We know you voted to leave, but we think you might be stupid or have made a mistake, and quite frankly we don’t like your decision – so after we’ve been bickering for nearly 4 years in Parliament about it, are you *REALLY* sure you want to leave” ?
And if won, as a majority remain, what’s to stop people demanding a third, forth, fifth, sixth, seventh, etc referendum, under the same logic, because they didn’t like the result either.
By parties – Are you talking about Labour who had it’s worst defeat since 1935. Or Lib Dems, who their own leader lost her seat ? Or Change UK who no longer exist ? Or SNP who can’t seem to make up their minds if they want to stay in UK or not ? Or Corbyn who couldn’t make up his mind whether he wanted to leave or stay in Europe on national TV, few days before the general election ?
As for the first past the post system for electing government in UK, it’s been like that for generations (it’s not proportional representation). Changing the rules because one didn’t win, hmmm, that’s not very fair is it ? And also, if the policies of those parties were so popular, then why didn’t they win ? … oh, sorry I forgot, they won the argument. Being right, is of course far more important than being a leader.
I said above, I would have voted remain (had I voted) and was a remainer up until late 2019. BUT I really really had had enough of it after nearly 4 years of bickering and uncertainty, blocking and legal bullshit, so I changed sides. The people’s vote of 2016 MUST be respected if we value democracy at all. I think that’s how critical major policies are decided, in lieu of things like civil wars, or just out and out anarchy.
“We” lost the Brexit “battle”, time to move on and make the best of it.
Best wishes for 2020, thanks for your comment.
I won’t be donating. I see nothing to celebrate.
I, also, have been doing research and have come to very different conclusions from you. I am shocked at the lies that have been told about the EU, for decades, by our politicians and the media. The EU has been blamed for every unpopular decision made by our politicians. The things wrong with this country are not the fault of the EU. Some things would be worse without the restraints of EU regulations.
The country is still divided and it’s very sad when words like “liberal” and “tolerant” become insults. These are qualities we were once proud of.
That’s OK. For me it’s more relief than celebration, after nearly 4 years of bickering (and nearly 5 years till 31-Dec-2020), there’s now a line being drawn under it, hopefully UK can move on now. As I said, if I had voted in 2016 it would have been Remain, reason, I prefer status quo (We’ve been in Europe all my lifetime)
I grew up in decades Liberal constituency, and always considered myself a liberal. Even voted Labour in early 2000s in London. But like you say things have changed, bias has changed on the left, to something that’s far from moderate or centrist, and it’s still shifting further left. Personally I abhor BOTH communism and fascism, and don’t want either. Venezuela from what I understand is the latest try at socialism, was initially heralded as a massive success, now it’s hell on earth for the majority living in horrendous poverty, whilst the corrupt at the top live like kings. But I can see the appeal in socialism in principle, it just seems it doesn’t usually work out how people expected. Capitalism is far from perfect too.
As for the EU 52% of people voted out. That’s a democratic majority for a referendum. Even though it wasn’t my choice, I still respect other people’s choice.
As for who’s to blame EU vs UK, politician’s always are blaming someone else for their failings – their main goal is to get re-elected.
We don’t know if things would be worse or better with or without the EU, because we’ve been in the EU. I would have to concede there’s been pros and cons.
Within that I’ve tried to make the post as least political as possible, I’m not an activist, nor am I an expert, nor am I a politician with any power to change anything. Perhaps that will change, I don’t know. Mostly I’ve tried to keep my blog non-political, I’m interested in people’s opinions and sometimes I’m creative.
Brexit is a major historical event, whether one believes in it or not. Personally, I’m looking at it with a positive outlook, as an opportunity for prosperity and happiness for the future.