I voted Leave but I'm not racist or selfish or stupid.... #Brexit

OK so the last one could be argued a few times in my life, notably in 1994 when I cut my cats whiskers right down because I thought they looked tatty....but I didn't realise she needed them for balance. Ooops soz Daisy. I am however, normally sound of mind though. I especially was, when I cast my vote to Leave the EU. In my last blog I had my 2p on why I was personally voting OUT, in case you missed it Here

For me it was in part for my Dad, who as a fisherman had his industry decimated by EU regulations and worked him self into an early grave aged 46. I did it for my husband a time served Ship building apprentice but now there is no ship building of any kind in the UK or Industry really after being strangled by the EU. I did it for my remaining fishing family and everyone in the UK who was in any kind of industry but also got left to rot. I did this for my children as I believe in the long run we will most definitely be better out of the EU. However, most importantly I choose my vote because NO ONE. Not David Cameron, or the 3 MP's I spoke to or the MEP I wrote to or indeed anyone in the UK or the EU could tell me ONE thing that would change, be reformed or even improved despite the outcry for change from the UK public and even the Remain side themselves often saying "The EU isn't perfect".

It is not because I am racist and neither are any of the people I know who voted out, lets see sense too, 52% of Britain are not 70yr old xenophobes. There is a small disgusting minority who wrongly felt like this before the referendum and no one wants to be associated with them.

It is not because I'm selfish. Only 6% of UK jobs rely on the EU but 100% of us are affected by the EU, I had to vote my way, I don't think that's selfish the same as my friends voting the opposite way for their own gain are not and we are of course all still friends. 

It is not because I'm stupid. I did a lot of research. I asked the questions. As you can see from my reasons above too, this issue really burned up my heart. Loosing my Dad was obviously devastating for my family but it also truly shaped mine and my brothers life from then on. I had my reasons and you have yours.

Oh and I'm not being quiet either. I'm just trying to have some respect. This was a massive decision and I know people on both sides who would be caught in the fray and directly affected. I have friends with partners who are not UK nationals and now nervous about their visa situation and others who work for the EU or are funded by it, unsure of their future. It would be gross of me to be celebrate despite being very pleased.

I have been horrified though by all the hate flying around and being put in one box, called "xenophobic, thick and common" because of my choice in vote. I've had some hate mail, personal attacks and my brother was called an "Ignorant C*nt* just for saying "people need to unite on Brexit now" The Remain seem to have turned so superior in their defeat. Someone commented to me that "This is far too complex for SOME people to vote on"...well to me if the EU is so complex and far removed for the citizens of the country who pay for it we definitely shouldn't be part of it. This assumption that some people shouldn't have been allowed a vote is awful and Elitism is just as bad as racism. Anyone calling Brexit voters names should be just as ashamed of themselves as people throwing racist slurs, especially as people voted for many different reasons. As far as I can see only a few didn't have the best at heart, but that's the same as some remain voters had no clue and just stayed in or worse people who didn't vote.

This has tapped directly into a huge social divide and the real reason Brexit won by a majority, they didn't know their audience.

Like everyone I was shocked when I heard the results but the first thing that came to mind was, this shows that Westminster all political parties should have sat up and listened to the whole country for decades and this maybe wouldn't have been the result. I think we are all guilty of living in a bubble, you only know what you know or what is around you. However the leaders of this country should have reached out to all corners and especially to the 'normal working class person' of the UK. Try to get them on board, instead of using all their energy on scaremongering. Time would have been better spent on getting a renegotiation deal with the EU to address some of the top concerns of the UK people but we all know how that went...they wouldn't change a thing and are not interested in changing. People felt unheard and left out by rich politicians. As someone commented to me at the BBC debate "I don't care if holidays prices go up a little or there is more paper work involved to live here or us to go live in Spain etc, I can barley afford to feed my family never mind go on holiday!"

Do you know who is number 1 in the top 10 richest EU areas? - London and in the Top 10 poorest EU areas 9 of those are in the UK..... This is showing that the EU is not a recipe for freedom it promotes the power of the state and the rich over the citizens. My area the North East has the highest level of unemployment in the entire UK and people were shocked or disappointed when we voted to 'Leave'?! Walk around our country, politicians. See our once thriving high streets, now looking like a ghost town full of Charity shops. Go to our amazing closed down ship yards, plants and factories. Some areas look like the slums of third world country but we are the 5th largest economy in the world. No wonder we are a benefit state and food banks are overrun. 

The leaders of this country, have failed to see the public. Whilst sitting in a Michelin starred restaurant for example eating some Cod and prawns, they didn't take a minute to think "Are the EU rules fair enough, so our fishermen can sustain these stocks, provide the demand of the country AND make a living?" No, they didn't give a sh*t frankly. They just put them in place without thinking about the consequences to the actual people doing the job. I heard some farmers talking yesterday (in Northumberland another Leave vote) and while their union had urged them to remain, apparently most of them voted out because they wanted "The EU handcuffs off" so they could write their own agricultural laws, produce more British produce and why shouldn't they? 

What does a man in Brussels or London for that matter sitting at a desk for most his life know about farming crops when he probably doesn't even own a plant pot. This is true of many industries and jobs where it would be much better to take counsel from the people actually doing the jobs in the UK, on how they should be regulated. They have all been begging for it as well, in the many debates and chats I've been involved in there were so many working guys who had been to the house of commons for lots of different things and told it was EU regulation in the way or there was nothing that could be done. 1 ant isn't a problem but a colony speaking up?...

Only 27% of the UK has a degree but the rest are exceptionally talented practically. Being the "Worker Bees" of the country, building everything you see around you and providing a variety of services that keep the UK ticking daily. What are they meant to do for jobs though? What if my boys feel they don't want to go to University either? Some people simply don't have the money or feel they have the academic confidence. Its great if you are naturally very bright, with a degree or private education and job that goes with that but what about the rest of the people? We need to bring back Industry on every level which while wrapped in EU red tape was impossible, its that simple a handful of Call centre jobs isn't enough.

I don't even want to touch immigration. It was captured perfectly though by an article in 'The Wall Street journal' (full link at the bottom)how for some Brexit voters they didn't have evil at heart with this issue they just had concerns.

"Even the debate about immigration had an internationalist flavor to it. Any member of any EU state has had the right to live and work in Britain; any American, Indian or Australian needs to apply through a painstaking process. Mr. Cameron’s goal is to bring net immigration to below 100,000 a year (it was a little over three times that at last count). So the more who arrive from the EU, the more we need to crack down on those from outside the EU. The U.K. government now requires any non-European who wants to settle here to earn an annual salary of at least £35,000 (or about $52,000)—so we would deport, say, a young American flutist but couldn’t exclude a Bulgarian convict who could claim (under EU human-rights rules) that he has family ties in the U.K.

To most Brits, this makes no sense. In a television debate last week, Mr. Cameron was asked if there was “anything fair about an immigration system that prioritises unskilled workers from within the EU over skilled workers who are coming from outside the EU?” He had no convincing answer"

As for all these "Oldies" voting. The ones I've spoken to and word on the street from my girl Friday GG is, their main issue wasn't immigration either, they actually felt cheated into the EU after only agreeing to join the common market. Their parents fought so hard for Democracy and to make Britain Sovereign and this is what they want back. Now the youth Bremain are saying that the older generation have ruined their future, but only 36% of 18-24 yr olds voted. As I said above, I actually did this for my boys so they would have a vast array of opportunities, so I don't believe that but if you don't like the result... next time vote, K. I find it hard that some of the people who were so pro being "United as one with our neighbours" are now tearing their own community apart and "SO disappointed in Britain" I don't feel we have personally insulted any country we still want to be friends, we just don't want to be in a certain club they are in and we can now unite with the WHOLE world not just a group in Europe. Which just to confirm again we are still part of and are European. 

I am frankly disappointed with David Cameron he GAVE us the referendum and as a true leader he should have stayed completely neutral, telling Corbyn or Boris etc; to get back in their box at times but stay on the fence himself. No matter his personal view he could have now lead us through this, in the best direction but he's bailed. The government is also now a total mess. There are staunch Brexit and Bremain in all party's how does that work? MY familys party of 'Labour' for the working class became the 'work less' a long time ago. They have lost touch with the country and literally need to wipe it all away. Start fresh with new manifestos and strong leaders able to guide us through this big change and have a general election; the sacking of Hilary Benn and a subsequent coup is proof of such a divide. As for another EU referendum... Go for it, lets check the UK's opinion again and see what comes out. Its not exactly democratic to keep voting until you get the answer you want but lets do it anyway. A throw away of the results though?...No because that would mean the UK is now a dictatorship and we would have much bigger problems than Brexit... 

I stand by my vote. I totally understand people are nervous of the unknown and the media are a disgrace instead of promoting the positives and calming people its more scaremongering. This is a massive change for the country but whether you voted in or out the decision has now been made. Those who voted in you may not have your choice and are worried but as a country we must stick together and do everything we can now to improve our futures and that of the next generations and stat. All forms of hate just need to stop, Its not even been aweek. I hope positivity will soon prevail even if we are all feeling shook up. Oh and can we all be friends again now?