Brexit

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It is now clear that the whole referendum campaign on both sides of "remain" and "leave" was littered with misinformation, scaremongering, and personal political opportunism that divided the country, made worse by the poor political leadership and the inconsistent vision of the future.

 

As a nation, the divide between those who identify as Remain or Leave has to be bridged and bridged as a community and as a priority.  We must come together for the sake of the nation and our own individual lives to make a success of where we are currently at, we need focus, unity, and positivity.

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My EU summary

I believed that the free movement of goods and people within the EU was one of the standout attributes that brought further social and economic growth to Britain, there are many benefits to being in the EU. For me, however, one of the greatest achievements of the EU is maintaining European peace after two world wars and a long history of infighting between European nations. It was clear that even with all these benefits, there were also many long-term disadvantages that a number of people, including myself, found concerning and undemocratic.

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EU mistakes before the referendum 

I believe it was very clear that the EU made a monumental mistake when David Cameron went to the EU to renegotiate our relationship with the EU after the 2015 general election. The EU gave little and came across as arrogant, unwilling to listen, and dismissive of the growing narrative around an exit, which became Brexit. This was the start of the end for Britain's place within the EU and played into the hands of an ever-growing anti-EU narrative. Combined with a divisive and misleading referendum campaign on both sides, Brexit became an option for many, and an unexpected result has now shaped the political landscape since 2016.

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The miss leading campaigns

It has been widely reported that the Leave campaign misled voters with numerous misleading examples. However, I believe both sides of the argument have to take responsibility for the outcome. One example of the mistakes that remain made was exaggerating the fallout of a yes vote and how many aspects of British life would collapse within minutes of a yes vote being announced. This, I believe, was simply not believed, resulting in a loss of trust in the Remain campaign. Both the leave and remain campaigns must accept responsibility for the outcome and now work together to make Brexit work for Britain and the British people.

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My standing on Brexit 

As much as I agree with the free movement of goods and people, I do not agree with the political ambitions of what is often referred to as the United States of Europe. The EU doesn't need to be anything more than a trading and free-movement union seeking to create unity and growth within those individual countries that are members. Its ever-growing political strength is corrosive to national sovereignty and identity, reducing countries with deep traditions, histories, and individual identities to being centrally controlled "Member States". Britain has a rich history and world influence that cannot be reduced to becoming one of many "Member States". Over the years, I found it increasingly difficult to see how 28 countries, all with vastly different political histories and systems, could make progress together without a gradual stripping of core identities, beliefs, and history, let alone individual sovereignty. It is clear that Britain is perhaps the most unique country of all. Britain is an island nation, physically separated from the rest of Europe, with a deep, long-term democratic history and a great past place in the world that is unmatched by any other European nation. The only way the ambitions of this political union can be successful in the long term is by denying all members' historic individuality and combining it with strong, top-down, intrusive bureaucratic governance.

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The missed opportunities 

My ideal solution would have been for Britain to have been given a new and unique renegotiated relationship with the EU based on freedom of movement for goods and people. We all know this was not to be. The EU dismissed in an arrogant way David Cameron's request to renegotiate our relationship with the EU.

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Post-Brexit I would have been happy for a pro-political Brexit while maintaining the free movement of goods and people (a soft Brexit). A soft or hard Brexit referendum with a Parliamentary vote beforehand would have settled a number of divisions within the country and helped us move forward at a better pace. The government took a more dogmatic than pragmatic approach to finding a Brexit solution, and this dogmatic approach did not make us look stronger towards the EU Brexit negotiations process.

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Would I change my Brexit views?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and it has been increasingly used post-Brexit. Would I have changed my pro-political Brexit stance if I knew what I know now? No, I wouldn't. I am not opposed to a rejoining referendum following a thorough debate and vote in Parliament, as well as a mandate to deliver such a pathway through a general election. At the moment and for a number of years to come, I believe Britain needs to be stronger on the world stage, both economically and politically, as I feel any hint of rejoining now would result in Britain being treated as a new second-class member with a high cost to reenter.

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The Mistake we have made on the journey to an independent Britain 

Unfortunately, our current path towards a strong, independent Britain is not free-flowing or united, and we are not where we should be for the following reasons:

1. The refusal of a referendum on the options of a hard or soft Brexit, a parliamentary vote to do so could have been held, which would have settled a number of questions and helped to unite Britain.

2. In the event of a leave vote, there was little to no pre-referendum planning.

3. There was no evident planning or understanding of the social unrest caused by a Leave or Remain outcome.

4. Weakness in the direction of the government 

5. An opposition that was unable to decide where it stood on all things Brexit.

6. Consistent pessimism and negativity towards what an independent Britain could achieve

7. The polarisation between the leave and remain camps was exacerbated by politicians and the media.

8. Political self-interest was evident at every stage of the Brexit process, rather than serving the needs of the nation

9. The North Ireland question was used as a political tool by the EU and Remain to slow up progress at the expense of the Good Friday Agreement.

 

My conclusion to the Brexit future.

The referendum vote was the correct course of action. For 40+ years, Britain has been debating if we would be better off outside of the EU. It has become a topic that has consumed a lot of political time and resources that could have been used elsewhere. Perhaps now we are set to debate the reverse and ask whether Britain would be better back in the EU. Only then will we have the most educated answer, but now is not the time for that debate; now is the time for action and to put our best efforts and time into building a strong nation and a strong international Brexit. As we look forward and resume the EU membership debate, it is important to remember that it all depends on whether the European Union project is still functional and desirable to be a part of; only time will tell. For now, focused action and a positive view of the big picture are required.

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