It's Been a Bit of a Week // Post Brexit Essay

As I write I am sat in utter disbelief as my respect for politician after politician washes down the drain, and the UK’s once ‘old faithful’ establishment spirals out of control, with no-one at the helm. I keep hearing people say, “crazier things have happened”, but have they, have they really?

Boris Johnson has just announced that, after campaigning to leave the EU in an act of opportunism which probably went against his true beliefs about the EU, he’s decided he doesn’t fancy the job of Prime Minister after all; in true Bullingdon spirit, he has wrecked the place without a single thought for the consequences. At least the Bullingdon club left a cheque.

Boris isn’t alone. We sit and watch as one after one, leave campaigners fail to fulfil the promises which won them millions of votes, by abandoning responsibility for untruths nobody scrutinised. Even David Cameron resigned, in shame I think, when we needed his moderate mind most.

And while it sinks into the nation that an age old Tory squabble is to blame for this mess, you’d think the Labour party would sweep in to save the day, offering solace to those who wanted to remain in the EU, unable to believe their luck at an easy political win. I’m afraid not, because 2016 is turning out to be all too Shakespearean for my liking.

Jeremy bloody Corbyn has lost a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons with only 40 of his MP’s supporting him after over half of his cabinet resigned in protest of his lack of leadership; there are even rumours he didn’t vote with his party to remain in the EU. 

Yesterday he spoke at a report on Labour’s antisemitism problem, in which he compared Isreal to ISIS, and failed to defend a Jewish MP who was verbally abused right in front of him. What’s more I can all but guarantee this piece will be out of date within 10 minutes.

 And to think that 18 months ago the biggest political news was Ed Miliband eating a bacon sandwich a bit weirdly. What I would give to go back to those simpler times. Is it weird I’m even feeling nostalgic for the Donald Trump shit show? At least Britain was united in condemning his idiocy.

And if this political drama wasn’t bad enough, the fact remains that the UK is leaving the European Union. It’s ultimately the devastation at the heart of this and I can’t help but think journalists and commentators would rather indulge in the gossip than face this sad truth. I am so sad for all the Europeans living in Britain whose future is now scary and uncertain, and for people of my generation and younger who woke up with less opportunities on Friday.

The world has truly turned upside down. So what can we do?

If you’re like me, your instinct at this time may be to shrink away and withdraw from the horror show, but it has never been more important to be political. We now undoubtedly face a bigger challenge- the biggest of my generation- so make your opinions known, argue what you believe, and call out what you know is wrong no matter how heartbreaking it may be.

I am heartbroken and angry. I’ve just joined the Labour party so I can have my say in their leadership election, and I plan to be more involved in UK politics than I have been before, in whatever form that may be. It’s very easy to rant about what is wrong with the world on facebook, it is harder, as many leave campaigners have discovered, to change it for the better. We are the only ones who can shape our generation’s future and it will be decided in moments like this.

Now let’s get back to spreading joy through kitten gifs and getting shit done. Shall we?

The Graduate's Guide to Voting

I’ve always been that person who says, “It doesn’t matter who you vote for, as long as you vote”, but I’ve come to the conclusion that the upcoming in/out referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU is too important for just picking a side on the day. I’m fortunate as a politics grad in that I’ve always known which way I would vote if there was ever an in/out referendum, but many friends I’ve spoken to are still undecided. I can’t imagine how overwhelming it must be to have to make your mind up in a matter of weeks. So with that in mind, here is my guide to deciding which way to vote, so you don’t end up voting in the dark.

1.    The newspapers do not equal the truth

Some people seem to think everything they read in newspapers is gospel. Well, I’m here to tell you it’s not. On both sides of any debate, newspapers have agendas too, so they’ll rarely report figures that go against their message, and have even become quite skilled at running pretty flawed and skewed research of their own. Either read a variety of newspapers or none at all, and take everything you read with a pinch of salt.

2.    Educate yourself

It’s important to seek out more information than what is hand-picked for you by the media or your friends and family. You decide what’s important to you. You can do your own research simply by googling the institutions and issues involved. The more you know, the more informed your decision will be on polling day.

3.    Get some perspective

You’ll probably feel more confident in your decision if you keep up with what’s going on in the world beyond our shores; how the UK affects the world, and how the world affects the UK. I find it really helpful to read articles written outside the UK to gain some much needed context to any debate. Good starting points are the New York Times, Politico, The Washington Post and Buzzfeed, where you’ll find they all have columns going on European Affairs and the referendum specifically. Try searching ‘Brexit’ in any of these publications and you should find plenty of global perspective.

4.    Talk it out

Don’t be afraid to listen to the opinions of those close to you and tell them your views too. You’ll probably gain some insight into how people could personally be affected by the result, and debating with people can strengthen your arguments or just make you see things clearly. But maybe don’t bring it up at a special occasion like a family wedding. Champagne, family and politics is a lethal cocktail which won’t end well!

5.    Think about what you want

Have a think about what you want out of life- your goals, ambitions and dreams- and whether the referendum result would effect those things based on what you’ve learnt, and if so how. The arguments from campaigners can get a bit abstract, but if you think of the facts and figures in terms of your job ambitions, travelling goals, family dreams etc the debate gets closer to home and a little more real.

Be critical, open- minded, and good luck…

See you on the flip side!!!