23rd June 2016
25.06.2016
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Last Thursday something happened that will change life in European countries as it is known. We can never be sure on the course and outcomes of the future in the UK now it has left the EU, but it would have been challenging to predict it even if it had remained. For around the last 65 years the country has been within the support system of the European Union countries and now it’s time to go it alone. Life will not only change for the people of the UK, as all other countries within the EU will feel the effects of its loss. The final results that were released on Thursday morning showed that 51.9% of the UK voted to leave the EU, with 17,410 votes, and 161,141 people (48.1% of the population) wanted to stay; this is out of the 70% portion of the population who took part and it equalled in a surprisingly small margin between the conflicting votes. The colour key of the country’s map proved that a vast majority of the main results came from London; that fact isn’t surprising as the capital is home to a high volume of people within a condensed space, amongst them a high percentage of the younger generation, and a multi-cultural mix of races.
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During this I want to remain as unbiased as possible, and I am respectful of any views that are opposite to my own. If I’m honest though, as an English person who strives to discover many cultures outside of her own, I voted to remain in the EU, and I have been disappointed by the news the referendum has brought. For me the greatest loss will be the feelings of unity that my country has to those of different heritage, where people have the chance to make new lives in a little gang of countries that stand together. It saddens me to think of all the relationships and mix raced families that may not be created now because two people no longer have the chance to meet as easily. What also saddens me is that the supposed view of the whole country has been portrayed as if we all stand together on the fact we no longer want to be associated with other beautiful European countries in the same way. However, aside from this we do live in a democracy after all and I am hopeful that our future will be a bright one.
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People are still posting on their social media now about the result - I was amongst those who posted something on the day of; it is an incredible thing that everyone has such strong views about the matter, from either party, as it shows people who are passionate about the futures of their countries. Social media analysts working for Twitter monitored the use of the social media platform surrounding the time of the referendum, showing them that the number of posts made in relation to the matter has increased steadily from April and sky-rocketed and peaked in June. The younger generations in the UK had their say, with results showing that 82% of 18-24 year olds voted to remain and 18% to leave; it’s positive to see the younger people having a say in how they want to shape the course of their future. The results of Brexit will have a greater impact on the lives of younger age groups within European countries more in comparison to those of the older generations, as the implementation of new regulations will all be completed within the next 15 years. I did have a thought about the fact that I might be having children in a time that could be different to the one I know now.
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Many countries have tried to leave the EU but as none have managed it successfully there is bound to be a lot of uncertainty surrounding the future of life within Europe now. Perhaps previously things such as the ease in which we can travel amongst the other 27 countries in the EU has been taken for granted; the people of the UK were blessed to be able to find work and settle down in the new land, and it also brought others from afar to liven up the English communities and open eyes to new cultures. The rules for imports and exports will change, and a process that was once simple will become slightly harder and prices for goods coming into the UK from the rest of Europe may rise. On top of this there is the time it will take for all the necessary alterations of the laws to be fully changed. Over the last few days other countries from the EU have started talks about becoming independent from the union themselves, and it would be a shame to see more countries following suit and the bond collapsing, one country after the other.
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All of this and my own views aside, however, I will touch on the benefits that will potentially happen (hopefully) for the UK now in a future out of the EU, as we must look ahead. This is the course of the country that has been set so we must now deal with it in a positive way. Immediately there is a cost saving of around 13bn each annum, which is the amount paid last year by the UK to contribute to the EU budget. This should mean that this money will be freed up to spend improving other areas of the infrastructure, such as the NHS, which will in turn have a positive impact on the livelihood of their population. Ignoring what Farage said about not being able to give money to the NHS these positive improvements may still happen. Figures show that by 2018 there will be clear decreases in house prices in comparison to the amount they would have been if we had remained. Over time the value of the pound should increase again and there is hope that its decline over the last few days has just simply been a knee-jerk reaction to the change. Overall the UK now has the power to make its own decisions about its future without any influences from anywhere else.
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There are petitions going around now which are fuelled by the voters who wish to remain, hoping for another chance at another referendum. I’m not sure if they will be successful in getting a rematch, but we must look to the future either way. It’s true that the English nation will now have the chance to rebuild bonds within its parts and stand stronger on its own. Hopefully over time the United Kingdom will be just that - united. Another positive would be that eventually all countries within the world will have the same chances to travel to and settle in the UK, amongst them places such as Africa and South Asia. With Cameron standing down we will now all be looking towards a new leader to get us through this huge time of change. I don’t want to use the clichéd saying of ‘everything happens for a reason,’ but I do try to always stick by that philosophy, even when there are challenging times to overcome. None of us like change but over time we should try to be positive in the knowledge that it is the right thing for everyone in all countries involved.
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One very last important point that is close to my heart must be made clear to anyone reading this and that is the result doesn’t mean the whole of the UK wants all immigrants to ‘go back to where they came from.’ The immigrants in the UK are a group of people who have moved there to find a better life for themselves and who work hard to make sure they get it; the distain of ‘immigrants stealing jobs’ shouldn’t exist as that is not the problem in the first place. These are people who turn out to be our friends and families, who we have grown to love in spite of any cultural differences or distance between our home towns. My firm beliefs are that we are all equal on this planet as everyone is blessed to live this once-in-a-life-time life together, against the tiny odds that the DNA which formed in our mothers’ bellies turned out to produce us. When everyone stands together they are stronger and that is what has to happen now, whether the EU is in existence or not.