What have we done!

I wouldn't claim to be particularly knowledgeable about politics, or even very interested, but recent events have got me gripped. For the first time in my life, except for perhaps the birth of future kings, I feel that I am witnessing a historic event. The vote to leave the EU on June 23rd is surely what my daughter's history teacher would call a ‘turning point’ in the UK's relationship with the rest of Europe, and possibly the rest of the world. I can't help asking myself: ‘What have we done?’

It appears that I was not the only one showing an interest — 72% of the voting population of the UK turned out to vote, a number far exceeding those voting at recent elections where figures have been as low as 59%. The majority vote in favour of Brexit was small (51.9% against 48.1%), and you can't blame those calling for a second referendum, especially with claims that those voting to leave did so based on misinformation (e.g. the assertion that leaving the EU would free up £350m a week extra to spend on the NHS). One of the most abhorrent aspects of the leave campaign in my mind was the Nigel Farage inspired fear over loss of national and cultural identity — xenophobia has no place in the Britain of today or in the Britain of the future.