Brexit

Just a short note on the Brexit - the biggest move in a generation.

I am in the Remain camp, and was very proud when my parents voted Remain. However, I understand why the Leave camp won. Certainly since the GFC, things have not been great economically in the UK. And we've been consistently told by the government it's because of immigrants. The opposition is also saying immigration is a problem.  And no doubt leaving the EU will impact immigration. Whether it's good or bad, it is a change which may be good. We've also continually been told that the EU is the fault of a lot of things. You can't change that overnight.

It has highlighted the divide between London and the rest of the regions, which was always there but never depicted so starkly. The 'London bubble' needs to be spread more around the UK.

Politically, we're in a bit of a mess. We now will have a new PM which half of the population will blame for this. The opposition leader will never win the election due to the same infighting which caused the referendum in the first place - let's be clear, none of the electorate was interested in this vote, just a few right wing politicians. It was such a complex topic it should never have come to a vote - certainly not this way. There is criticism of the lukewarm Labour campaign - but frankly I'm not surprised, this was hardly a decision of their making. And the rest of Europe is ready to pounce.

So, what of the silver linings? Let me offer a few:
- it MIGHT have been the right decision. Like when you put a bet on a casino, it may turn up red. Unfortunately we will never be able to say for certain as wherever we go, we may be better in Remain - and however bad it may get, the Leave backers could say it would be worse in the EU. The subsequent impact on the EU will only prove to Leave backers that they were right. There is certainly tunnel vision on both sides of this;
- clearly there were a lot of lies spread around this. Perhaps this will result in a new, truth based politics. Hopefully there will be a push for politicians to be more formally more accountable for their actions and promises.
- social media was very prominent in this decision and the debate. This will cause a lot more people to be interested in politics, and a new wave of young politicians against this 'old boy' politics.

I look forward to seeing the new wave of role models coming through, people who are not seen as slimy and dishonest - politicians with integrity.