Day Four: 500 Word Writing Challenge

Day Four - UK and EU Politics

So, Cameron burned the midnight oil, got by on just three hours of sleep in forty eight hours and brought home a deal of sorts from the European Union. Will it be enough for the British public who want to leave?  Certainly the reaction from most of the British media has been that this is not enough and the split in government between those who want out (Brexit) and those who wish to stay in is already hyping up. 

Today the usual fear mongering has started as we hear from Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith that staying in Europe means that the UK is more vulnerable to ‘Paris style’ terrorist attacks.  Frankly I would have thought that anything that might bring the UK a bit of Parisian style should be welcomed with open arms!  

At the same time Cameron says that the UK is "better,safer and stronger" by being in the EU.  I think that came straight out of his Olympic speech from 2012 as it sounds remarkably like the Olympic motto “Citius - Altius – Fortius”.  Given the amount of corruption and doping in sport perhaps he is just getting the EU mixed up with FIFA, the IAAF and the IOC?  I can see how that is easily done. It is also kind of weird because he was not saying that a few weeks ago and the deal he got really does not seem to change much on the safety, strength and ‘betterness’ index.

June 23^rd is the big day and at this moment I really would not be at all surprised if we see a Brexit vote.  As the outcome could well have a direct impact on my ability to work and live in Europe, it would have been nice to have been able to vote myself, but sadly, despite the efforts of the west to bring democracy to Iraq and Libya, it does not extend to allowing its own citizens to vote in a referendum that affects where they might live and work.  Go figure!

For me personally, a worst case scenario is not being able to remain in Finland and so having to leave home and job.  Worst of all is the possible impact on the family, as my wife is a non EU and ETA citizen, so my children and I could go to the UK but not my wife.  As I say this is a worst case scenario and of course I hope it does not happen, but really it is not beyond the realm of possible outcomes.  That is why being denied a vote because I have lived outside the UK for too long does somewhat annoy (actually I am somewhat understating that).

Gove and Johnson Boldly Leading the UK out of the EU?

For those who know British politics, the idea of Michael Gove (yes ‘him’ the former education secretary, you may have read some of my social media rants about him in the past) and Boris Johnson leading the Tory call for Brexit, on the one hand. Then Cameron and Osborne on the other – oh I just despair, it’s enough to make me give up this writing challenge.

So for the next four months the UK will be singing along to a new version of that British classic the Hokey Cokey –

You put the UK in

The UK out

In, Out, In, Out and shake it all about

You do the hokey cokey and you turn around

That’s what it’s all about!