musingsponderingsandrants

I just got back from voting in the EU referendum. A soggy walk to my village hall. A quick chat with the volunteers. The clearest ballot paper I have ever seen. The knowledge that, finally, my vote will count as much as the next man’s.

I gave up trying to cut my way through the bullshit spouted by both sides several weeks ago.

In the end I decided to go with my gut…here is what my gut said:-

• Retreating to our small island and pulling up the drawbridge feels petty. Long sieges are never a good thing. And we don’t even have enough food, or fuel.
•  Helping the poorest countries on our continent has to be the right way forward. Driving countries into the ground financially didn’t really pan out that well in the 1930s. Inequality breeds extremism.
• I am proud to live in a country that is attractive to young, hard working Eastern Europeans. That says a lot about what we have got right here in the UK.
• Large parts of our economy would not cope without these people; Care Homes, the NHS, farming to name a few.
• A lot of the issues I care about improving; climate change, the environment, extremism, equality need countries to co-operate. These things are bigger than us. In every way.
• I like the fact that the UK has always been a bit of a thorn in the EU’s side. Being a pain and not totally going along with the majority. It speaks volumes that they haven’t kicked us out yet. I feel like the UK is a bit of a brake. What would happen if we take the brake off. Or worse remove it entirely.
• If we don’t agree with the EU we can currently do something about it. Leave that table and all bets are off. And it is naive to assume that what the EU decides will not affect us on the other side of that drawbridge.
• My 12 year old is passionate about remaining. And it is his future I am voting on.
• Extracting ourselves from the EU will be bloody hard work. Many eyes will get taken off many balls whilst they sort it out. It is the same way I feel about schools acadamising. Lots of effort and time and money for little benefit and meanwhile those sorting it are not getting on with what they should be doing- teaching our kids. I want my politicians and civil servants getting on with making the UK a better place not dealing with getting us out.
• And then no-one knows what ‘Out’ looks like. Those campaigning for it have wildly different views on that. Interesting… and talking of which
• I trust not one person on the Leave side. Maybe that guy who makes vacuum cleaners is a bit credible. But no one else is. Not all the ‘Remainers’ are that credible. But some are at least.
• The Sun and Daily Mail say we should Leave…
• If the Leavers win my husband will spend his weekend and beyond on calls and in meetings as part of his employer’s Crisis Team. Because that is how it is viewed there. A Crisis with a capital C.

So there we have it. I voted Remain. Unscientific. But I trust my gut.

What does yours say?