The referendum

Part of our sense of disorientation since our holiday, is the fact that world seems to have gone mad. While we were away the referendum took place. We put in our votes by post before we left. Even on holiday the news inevitably filtered through to us – we’re to leave.

We instantly thought “We live in interesting times” we just didn’t realise how interesting. Our other immediate thoughts were that that would be the end of David Cameron as Prime Minister & that there would be a stock market crash. Both of which came to pass.

What I didn’t think was that neither party, be it for staying in or leaving the EU, would make any plans for if the vote came in for leave. The result seems to be absolute chaos, with no real government. Now we have calls for a second referendum as people voted as an anti-Cameron protest rather than wanting to leave, they were voting against immigration although they wanted to stay in the EU or they didn’t vote thinking their vote was valueless as staying in was a foregone conclusion. I’m not entirely surprised about the result. The polls seemed to suggest staying in would win, but talk to people in this area it was obviously going to be a close thing. Even we dithered, unsure which way to go. Whatever people may think of the vote surely we must now make the most of it & try to ensure we leave the EU on favourable terms.

What really perturbs me more is the number of xenophobic attacks & insults that have occurred since the results were announced. Such actions are not acceptable whatever the results were. And who is the foreigner to be abused? The person with black skin born in this country? Or is it me, born abroad but who happens to be white with English parents?