Brexit - really?

Yes. But we are not dealing with individuals are we, the Brexit decision has repercussions for the country as a whole regardless of the personal attitude of the individuals that make it up. All the EU LFA subsidies will go and ironically it is precisely those areas receiving them which voted overwhelmingly to leave.

The United Kingdom is unlikely to remain United for much longer, going on what Nicola Sturgeon had to say. Places like Cornwall are already wailing about where they are going to get money which up to now has been redistributed to them by the EU. The level of social dislocation, inequality and division in England and Wales has never been higher and a post-Brexit government isn't going to make it better because the policies creating that division were policies thought up and implemented by Westminster even though it has always been easy for any UK government to blame Brussels instead of admitting its own failures.

Who are they going to blame now? For a while it will still be simple to blame the EU bogeyman but that won't last forever, obviously terms for exit will be fairly hard because we don't need to encourage the likes of Marine le Pen, Geert Wilders et al. The avowed intent of the present UK government and more specifically of its hard right wing has been to privatise as much as possible: so transport, education, health are going to be beyond the reach of a great swathe of the population. I think we have all seen the effects of global delocalisation and I think it perfectly possible that Brexit will lead to jobs, but at what price? If companies can set up sweatshop type factories, now that, post brexit, most legislation to protect working people's conditions and terms can be ignored, they will - but it won't be the UK that benefits from it as can be seen by the tax deals offered to Apple, for example. I fear seeing the country ever more polarised and feel the path ahead is looking ominous. The leave campaign, filled as it was with demagoguery scapegoating and lies, doesn't present a positive blueprint for the future.

I think it's a case of "generic insult good, personal insult bad". I've no problem with that myself. I think the 17,000,000 are bloody fools :-)

John, we voted in enlightened Stroud which was one of the constituencies which voted Remain.

There are a lot more enlightened people out there than just me.

Yes, thank goodness, there's still some hope.

John, it would not just be the Government, it would be Parliament showing its independence.

Yes Veronique,

That's him....Mr 'No further negotiation possible....no reforming the EU at all likely...what planet are you on ?'

He is probably one of the only names that the average Briton could quote from the EU government.....the rest are just faceless bureaucrats...People don't have much faith in politicans generally and even less in them...

At least reverting to being governed by our own, home grown, politicians, one gets to know who is who and what they are responsible for....You can think ' Him I don't like...got to get rid of him/her next time round....' That is reassuring...

Yes, I've signed as well. It makes total sense to me that such a major decision should have an overwhelming majority.

Seems they are just finding out that "Getting your country back" means you can't tell them how to run their continent. It's the bum's rush for BREXIT Britain!

Wow, that'll go down well :-(

Ahh, but would you be saying this if it had gone the other way ?

Don't forget there was a massive turnout and even with alot of young people voting remain, it still wasn't enough....

Corbyn did more, in my opinion, to secure a leave result than Farage. Dismal, lifeless and spineless was the Guardian's view but I think they shouldn't be so reticent :-)

I think you are right Mike and I think that's the reason for the push to trigger Article 50 next week. It's sort of "OK Britain, you've made you mind up. Now we have to protect the remaining EU from uncertainty so hurry up and sod off and let us get on with it".

Even if Remain had won by the margin Leave did I would have been unhappy. I would have been pleased that a disaster had been averted but it wouldn't have been a definitive enough result. For decades I've felt the UK needs to in, really, really in or out. A win for Remain yesterday on such a slim margin leaving 16,000,000 disgruntled Leavers wouldn't have really resolved anything.

Thankfully, we don't actually ease to be in the EU for a couple of years(and during that time we will still be bound by those laws and I would think that any fundamental changes would have to be debated) - and there is time to start to get to grips with things like the loss of farming subsidies...of course it will be difficult to untangle ourselves, but it will be done and will probably need some adjusting once it is done. It would be surprising if there weren't a few glitches along the way, but I don't beleive the NHS will be a casualty (although personally, I think a model more like the French one, would give a better level of service), there are plenty of state run schools and the widely available 'Free schools' initiative means it's easier to start up a school ( the population/immigration explosion has already made this necessary)...not sure how transport would be affected....Sweat shops will not be allowed to prosper (we have had recent increases, I believe, to the living wage in some areas) and parliament just wouldn't be allowed to abolish these rights....just wont happen......I think your outlook, Veronique is very pessimistic..... If you read the comments made on the news stories that are currently running - the word from 'the people at large' to the politicians is 'ignore us at your peril' and I am sure the politicians on the Brexit side are very aware of this and will be 'watching their backs' as regards any rights to be sacrificed, without very good justification in Parliament.

Agree 100% with your post. And... just wanted to say, we love you Vero - you are always a voice of informed reason. Thank you! I / we owe you a large (warm?) lager when we finally meet. Thanks! J&C x

The total number and the majority in the referendum was multiples of the numbers and proportions in every general election in living memory. Why such a fuss over this? Its a clear expression of the will of the people. The decision is made.

Prepare for a revolution in that case

Apparently not for the sour-grape Remainians

How amusing !

In 2014 when many Scots wanted independence, they were accused of being anglophobes, which was nonsense, as the quarrel was with Westminster alone.

John,

Revolution...I've been thinking pretty much the same thing......this is as close as we have got, in recent times, isn't it..?

Essential the 'Brexit, government team' do their best in the next 2 years (and beyond)....