Leavers are not all stupid but enough of them are to make a difference. Remainers were too complacent. Younger voters especially. The referendum campaigns were a farce and virtually none of the real issues that we are now having spelt out to us were raised in any detail. Most voters had no concept of the CU or the effect on the Good Friday agreement.
The so-called issues
EU law? Was this really hurting anyone? How many on here can honestly say that some EU directive caused their lives to nose-dive? How many were even aware of half the legislation passed? They were only laws that this country would have passed in some form anyway - bourn out by the fact that we are now about to write the whole of EU Law into UK law.
Money? Did we wake up every morning bemoaning the £350m a week we sending to the EU? Who knew we were paying that? And it soon became apparent that it wasn't £350 because of the rebate. Were all you leavers wringing your hands every day thinking how much better your lives could be? No. Most people only started to consider things once the campaigns took off. Sometimes people don't really have any opinion and are not bothered either way.......until you ask them. Then the answers are not always the truth. People will say what ever they think the popular thing to say is. (Google problems with research techniques like questionnaires).
Immigration? This was the key in my opinion. I think people mixed up EU and non-EU immigration and rolled it into one. People in many deprived areas harboured the view that the immigrants were taking our jobs or driving down our pay. It is a very simplistic viewpoint but there were lots of towns and cities around the country where people would rather have their high streets full of boarded up shops then watch them becoming Polish supermarkets. You had Farage and co banging on about net migration and that we were about to become overrun. Many studies suggested that it would fall in the longer term. But people see the here and now and when they are sold the narrative of migrants taking jobs it is a very potent driver.
A referendum is a crude, blunt instrument and should not have been used in this instance.
But I voted remain. I left it late because, like many, there were aspects of the EU that I wasn't happy with. The idea of ever-closer integration, an EU army etc. I remember going into the common market and it was just that - a common free-trade area. So I can see how the notion of a super-state could upset a few people.
But whatever anyone says we were a powerful voice at the EU table and we could have influenced matters.
The EU will need to revisit the four pillars at some point because of the weight of opinion in member states. Right now nobody seems to be playing by the rules.
So overall I thought it better to stay in and try and negotiate better terms. Cameron did try and do this but was largely seen to have failed.
The main reason for voting remain for me was business, commerce and jobs and the fact that the lions share of my company's sales come via Airbus and other EU organisations.
So we will be leaving in my opinion because of a false and often almost racist views on immigration plus blind patriotism for an era long-gone. Little England.
There was a big element of protest too - vote leave to give the government a bloody-nose. Trouble is they have done that but torn off their own nose in the process.
Just one more thought. Only 12% of the UK turnover comes via manufacturing. Back in 1973 it was 37%.
People who work in the service sector do not always see a direct link to the effect on their jobs that falling out of the EU will have. People in manufacturing do.
But all will find out in time if we do not sort this cluster-feck out.
The so-called issues
EU law? Was this really hurting anyone? How many on here can honestly say that some EU directive caused their lives to nose-dive? How many were even aware of half the legislation passed? They were only laws that this country would have passed in some form anyway - bourn out by the fact that we are now about to write the whole of EU Law into UK law.
Money? Did we wake up every morning bemoaning the £350m a week we sending to the EU? Who knew we were paying that? And it soon became apparent that it wasn't £350 because of the rebate. Were all you leavers wringing your hands every day thinking how much better your lives could be? No. Most people only started to consider things once the campaigns took off. Sometimes people don't really have any opinion and are not bothered either way.......until you ask them. Then the answers are not always the truth. People will say what ever they think the popular thing to say is. (Google problems with research techniques like questionnaires).
Immigration? This was the key in my opinion. I think people mixed up EU and non-EU immigration and rolled it into one. People in many deprived areas harboured the view that the immigrants were taking our jobs or driving down our pay. It is a very simplistic viewpoint but there were lots of towns and cities around the country where people would rather have their high streets full of boarded up shops then watch them becoming Polish supermarkets. You had Farage and co banging on about net migration and that we were about to become overrun. Many studies suggested that it would fall in the longer term. But people see the here and now and when they are sold the narrative of migrants taking jobs it is a very potent driver.
A referendum is a crude, blunt instrument and should not have been used in this instance.
But I voted remain. I left it late because, like many, there were aspects of the EU that I wasn't happy with. The idea of ever-closer integration, an EU army etc. I remember going into the common market and it was just that - a common free-trade area. So I can see how the notion of a super-state could upset a few people.
But whatever anyone says we were a powerful voice at the EU table and we could have influenced matters.
The EU will need to revisit the four pillars at some point because of the weight of opinion in member states. Right now nobody seems to be playing by the rules.
So overall I thought it better to stay in and try and negotiate better terms. Cameron did try and do this but was largely seen to have failed.
The main reason for voting remain for me was business, commerce and jobs and the fact that the lions share of my company's sales come via Airbus and other EU organisations.
So we will be leaving in my opinion because of a false and often almost racist views on immigration plus blind patriotism for an era long-gone. Little England.
There was a big element of protest too - vote leave to give the government a bloody-nose. Trouble is they have done that but torn off their own nose in the process.
Just one more thought. Only 12% of the UK turnover comes via manufacturing. Back in 1973 it was 37%.
People who work in the service sector do not always see a direct link to the effect on their jobs that falling out of the EU will have. People in manufacturing do.
But all will find out in time if we do not sort this cluster-feck out.
Brings the shinners into it. I can guess your political allegience now by this comment and your reckless economy ideas.