Why, if you live in France, did you vote for Brexit?

@David_Naylor

You can always send Lois a private message. :grin:

It was temporarily closed. Should be open again now. :slight_smile:

Still closed

Opened it :slight_smile:

Thank you

1 Like

England has no constitution, it even allows for retrospective legislation, ie what was in the past was legal can be made illegal and you can be punished for it.
The other pit in the UK constitution is that ā€œJustice ,like the Ritz, is open to all.ā€ That is only the rich can afford it.

1 Like

Sandy, I find it extraordinary that someone who lives in France and who probably enjoys the benefits of life here would vote for Brexit.
I note from your explanation that you seem to disparage young people for supporting Remain. Am I to take it you are from an older generation?
Most of the young people I have spoken to voted to Remain because one of the benefits of EU membership is the opportunity to live, travel, study, work in any of the other 27 member states. I know itā€™s not very altruistic, but how many people under 25 do you know who are?
My point is that the older generation who were the significant majority of Brexit voters have deprived young people of the benefits you and I have enjoyed for many years. Did you not consider that when deciding.
Weā€™ve had our cake and ate it, young people donā€™t even qualify for crumbs.

10 Likes

I seem to be joining this discussion very late in the day, however, I wanted to put my views out there.
I read somewhere (following the referendum) that it is normal to make a political decision based on our emotional instincts and only then look for the arguments to support it. This explains the intransigence of many people and our ability to use the same points for opposed views! And it was certainly my position. With a French husband and binational children, I feel very English but a strong attachment to both countries. Asking me to choose is like choosing between chocolate or crumpets, canā€™t do it!
Following the result of the referendum I was very sad and the subsequent nastiness reported was ghastly. I refused to believe that the Brexiteers were really of that mindset. The restrictive laws, powerful lobbying, unelected and opaque administration, all this could just as easily be continued in Westminster, indeed I saw no discussion about what exactly would change once the EU was left behind, just vague outrage against imposed restrictions.
My conclusion is that to vote Brexit was a courageous and revolutionary stance. To push the island of Britain out into unknown seas, almost certainly at a cost to us all for a number of years but in the belief that future generations would applaud our sacrifice. Is this the case? I am asking the revolutionary leavers, did you vote for your grandchildren? You were unafraid to pull down forty years of status quo and launch into the unknown, to put up with the economic and logistical discomfort because you honestly believed that in thirty years time the UK would be a better place? This is the answer Iā€™ve come up with in my personal ramblings, but I would appreciate any comment from those revolutionary enough to have backed the leave campaign. I should add that I really do want you to be right.

3 Likes

Iā€™m a binational child who has grown up with both cultures and I think it stinks.

3 Likes

Rubbish - most who voted for Brexit didnā€™t look past the end of their own nose never mind the next 30 years!!!

Anyway, be careful what you wish forā€¦

4 Likes

well Iā€™ve posted enough here about why I voted Leave. Yes I know plenty of younger people who voted Remain, and some who voted Leave. Iā€™ve always said the argument for and against was very close, hence the split vote. It would have been a very comfortable decision to vote Remain, for myself and my husband, our peace of mind, our currency exchanges, our health care, etc. Very easy indeed. But, as Iā€™ve said enough times here, I looked ahead to where I want the UK to be in thirty yearsā€™ time for the younger people in my family, for what I believe is best for the next generation and beyond and itā€™s not attached to a crumbling European Union. Iā€™ve compared it to being on a speeding train which is heading for the buffers and jumping off ā€¦ not sure of the outcome but it has to be better than the crash which you know is coming. So, Simon ā€¦ you think I didnā€™t look further than my nose and my own interests. I looked ahead thirty, forty years. . Did you really look beyond your healthcare and currency exchanges and your comfortable existence in France? But letā€™s not get personal ā€¦ you will never agree with me but do stop the sly digs at those who voted Leave just because you donā€™t agree. Iā€™m sure youā€™re an intelligent chap but you have a different point of view to mine, which I respect. Do you have the same respect for my decision?

5 Likes

Did you ever get a reply Simonā€¦?

Of course not Paul - there isnā€™t one!! :slight_smile:

Iā€™ll get back to Sandy later, but for now I need to get on with my ā€˜comfortable existenceā€™ā€¦:slight_smile:

3 Likes

From Remainer to Recliner :wine_glass:

1 Like

Right Sandy here we goā€¦

As far as my ā€˜comfortable existenceā€™ is concerned, Iā€™ve asked Piers to put the Learjet away (I got rid of the Falcon - overrated!) and Iā€™ve given the rest of the estate staff the night off. So on to businessā€¦

So why on earth didnā€™t you ? - thatā€™s just silly. It all goes to help towards a ā€˜comfortable existenceā€™.

Seriouslyā€¦seriouslyā€¦? I concentrate on today and maybe tomorrow which I enjoy to the full. Most likely Iā€™ll be dust in 30-40 years time so couldnā€™t give a stuff.

Firstlyā€¦that did make me laugh!!

Yes I did actually - I also considered my truly amazing, amazing wife; my wonderful life affirming animals and my precious friends. As for French healthcare - well they saved my life last year and, as far as currency exchanges go, the impact can be enormous - so pretty important yes. Spot on Sandy, you got me there!

Whatā€™s that then ? - nobodyā€™s told me!!! Yikes - I probably wonā€™t sleep tonight !!! (Assuming)

Are you? Very kind of you but just goes to prove you donā€™t know me at all! (Patronising)

And finallyā€¦

Let me be clear Sandy - not one iota :slight_smile: Andā€¦I donā€™t need your respect for mine.

5 Likes

well thereā€™s clearly no common ground between us on this point so little point continuing the discussion.

7 Likes

Please tell me what evidence you have used to show that the UK is going to prosper after cutting its ties with the strongest trading partnership in the world. Please tell me where the money is going to come from to make Britain great again. Please tell me how workersā€™ rights are going to be maintained in a survival of the fittest, dog eat dog future. Please tell me how the vital jobs that tend to be carried out by a young immigrant workforce will be covered from now on.
I will gladly give you links to evidence showing how Britain has gained financially since joining the EU. I will also give links showing how red tape has been cut to the bone making importing and exporting goods quicker, cheaper and more straightforward. I will help you to find proof of how Britain has profited from its immigrant workforce and how workers in general have been protected by EU laws.
Iā€™ll show you mine but I really donā€™t believe you have anything to show me at all.
Dreams are great, theyā€™ve powered endless series of Saturday night talent show entertainment but dreams are not enough to make a collection of fairly insignificant island punch above their weight to the extent claimed by the believers in Brexit.

8 Likes

Exactly what I am trying to doā€¦sell up and move back. I voted Brexit becaus I believe it wil be better for my children and grandchildren. We would have been forced to scrap the Ā£ and use the euro, we would be paying for a European army, we would continue to have unlimited immigration, and worst of all we are governed by a bunch of unelected people who havenā€™t made a veery good job of the EU so farā€¦I personally think that it will implode! Finally they would have bled us dryā€¦you cannot keep taking from rich countries for poor countriesā€¦the well eventually becomes dry!

5 Likes

And if Brexit results in years of economic stagnation for the UK will you say sorry to your children and grandchildren? A vote to Leave should have been based on more than personal beliefs and scaremongering from the likes of Farage and Johnson (IMO).

4 Likes

Dear Coralyn
No, I donā€™t think we would have given up the GBP, not while the City was making so much money, if it manages to hold onto enough business in the next few years then the pound will continue to be a valid currency, I have my fingers crossed. I donā€™t know enough about the European army to comment. But we have never had unlimited immigration, nor were we a part of the schengen however, how are we going to manage if immigration slows to such an extent the country cannot function effectively? I suspect we will be advertising globally to encourage more people to come despite our growing xenophobic reputation.

2 Likes