Stay or Go?

[Isabelnewth]

Any UK writers with a view on the referendum? I am firmly of the opinion that we should stay in the EU, but in my corner of Kent I am surrounded by raving Brexiters nostalgic for the good old days when foreigners stayed in foreign lands, preferably ruled by us.

Feeling glum and worried.

Sorry this isn't about anything to do with CC, so if it counts as spam please feel free to destroy it.

[HiredGun]

Sounds like an opportunity for a CC article: How the Brexit Referendum Might Impact Your Small Business

[Isabelnewth]

I have argued about it so much that I don't know what I think any more. So I'll just vote the way I thought i should when I last knew what I thought.

[Pellucidean]

I'm not British so I don't really have a horse in the race, but the EU does seem like a remarkably undemocratic institution. In any case the oddsmakers have 'stay' as having about 70% chance of winning right now, so things will probably go your way.

[Gauderbock]

Well depending on how you voted I hope you're either pleased or not too despondent

As for me, a Brit living elsewhere in the EU, interesting times ahead to put it mildly

[Isabelnewth]

Thanks. Extremely sad actually, it was good being part of Europe, and the future now looks rather like another big fat recession and more austerity stretching into the future. Thanks Brexiters! The Europeans who work over here are worried and a lot of them getting ready to leave, feeling no longer welcome and fearing the future. Good luck with whatever it takes to sort your status out wherever you are, Gauderbock! I hope it's a more foreigner-friendly place than the UK.

[Gauderbock]

Thanks for the wishes. Hoping back that your corner of England doesn't have too much upheaval.

[cmcmahon66]

Seeing the various reactions today, it seems like this was an emotional vote rather than a rational one. Don't know if this is an actual reflection of sentiment or just a few people but I've seen several stories of people who voted for Brexit being shocked,worried and somewhat dismayed about the result, and at least some saying they would have voted differently if they thought it would actually happen! Wow. Plus I"ve seen stories saying that the UKIP guy (Farage?) is already saying that the big promise -- the money going to EU would be put toward NHS instead -- isn't going to happen. Hmm, think he knew that yesterday and last week and last month as well? I doubt he just figured that out this morning!

And now it looks like Scotland is going to want another independence referendum so they can break with the UK and get back into/stay in the EU, and even some mutterings in Northern Ireland to break loose and join Ireland (probably slim chance but it's going to suck for both sides, and the tourism industry, to have a real border again....). Did the Brexit voters realize they were potentially voting to break up the UK as well? It's all pretty amazing to me.

Folks in the know (Brits and others) -- I get the impression that if the powers that be said "Just kidding, that was a trial vote, the REAL referendum is next week!" the balance would tip toward staying in on a do-over vote. But that's based on news coverage here in the US. Do you have that feeling as well, or are we seeing the news distorted?

[Gauderbock]

> the balance would tip toward staying in on a do-over vote

I've already been told that by family back in the UK.

Unfortunately though, I fear bridges have been burned, ground to ashes, and flushed down the toilet. So we are were we are.

[Isabelnewth]

But where is that? Up sh** creek without a paddle.

It would be easier to accept as a democratic decision if the leave side had not won by repeating outright lies, now admitted as such, and by fostering xenophobia.

Oh well, I suppose this isn't the place really!