I dislike the word "Brexit". It reminds me of idle word collisions in very unsubtle brand names such as "Weetabix" or "Kwikfit". The word "Brexit" seems to belong in the commercial world of "Toys R Us", "GameStop" and "Supasave".
I find it rather trite and shallow, turning a process of immense importance and national concern into the kind of word you might find in a cartoon bubble. There's a cruel disconnect in my view.
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| Peter Wilding Inventor of the term "Brexit" |
The word "Brexit" was first coined on May 12th 2012 by a fellow called Peter Wilding who heads up a pressure group called "British Influence". He was pushing for a "Remain" vote so it's rather ironic that his gift to The Oxford English Dictionary is a word that was embraced by so many "Leave" voters and repeated time and time again in Britain's tabloid press.
And then you had our great leader Mother Theresa, ponderously defining the word in a mystical incantation... "Brexit means Brexit" which was like saying that "Cheese means cheese" or "Bollocks means bollocks". If she had wished to be totally honest with the British public what Mother Theresa should have said was "Brexit means what I think it means".
In my opinion, there should never have been a Brexit referendum in the first place. To reduce the whole complex web of Britain's associations with Europe down to a simple "Leave" or "Remain" vote was like dumbing down the story of someone's life to a verdict of "Good" or "Bad".
In the confusion that has followed the Brexit vote, it becomes clearer each day that the original question was insufficient. If we were going to have to have a referendum, there should have been other questions resulting in clear choices to guide negotiators beyond the fateful day.
And finally, I just want to mention Russia. I am not someone who readily embraces conspiracy theories but it seems to me that The British establishment have been smothering or playing down reference to Russia's influence on the Brexit referendum. Russia clearly played its shadowy hand in the US presidential election and several serious journalists and other well-informed observers firmly believe that Russia also influenced Brexit voting. Go here and here and here.
But regarding that troubling matter, the British public are left to watch the rolling of tumbleweed while listening to the eerie sound of silence..."Brexit means Just Shut Up and Eat It!"
I could not agree more. The referendum was ill-conceived, ill-explained and should never have been held.
ReplyDeleteI kind of like "Brexit Tattoos," though. "It's your choice but it's permanent!" LOL!
DeleteNever heard of laser removal Steve?
DeleteI have just a few years left in my life and quite honestly I can't waste it on the liars and cheaters who run our and most other countries. I've had my 71 years fill of them and now just want to get on with what gives me pleasure in life. Is that selfish, not in my book.
ReplyDeleteBriony
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I think about my children and possible future grandchildren. What kind of a world are we leaving them?
DeleteCameron was a fool to have a referendum. It was never going to be a simple case of just walking away from the EU and certainly not a decision to be taken blindly. I hate the word Brexit too.
ReplyDeleteStuffit! Sodit! Buggerit! Brexit! They all sound the same to me.
DeleteAgree wholeheartedly with Sue.
DeleteThe world has moved on, and Britain may never again be strong enough to take it's place at the forefront of world politics. I fear the worst, and despair for future generations.
Lazy journalism ....one word where a few should do
ReplyDeleteYou are right there John.
DeleteGiven that you dislike the word Brexit so much, and personally I couldn't give a shit what it was called, what would you have it called?
ReplyDeleteAs a Leaver, watching the sulks, bad moods and deliberate awkwardness that the other EU members are now exercising because Britain has dared to leave, I will be even more happy to see the back of them. Believe me, if Britain proves that it can be done and have a good economy after it, we won't be the last to leave the whole stinking ship and the EU knows it.
I would have just called it - Britain's departure from the European Union. Catchy, eh? I voted against European entry in 1975 but this time I voted to stay simply because I believed we were so entangled with Europe that the extraction would be terribly difficult and painful. Simple breaking away would be as terribly awkward as it is proving to be so far.
DeleteIt is only terrible, painful and awkward because a load of arses in France and Germany can't bear losing control over GB and some people in this country voted to stay because they didn't like to stand up to them. Show a bit of Yorkshire grit, I bet Boycott didn't vote to stay.
DeleteI showed true Yorkshire grit by voting to remain Derek.
DeleteThe word "Brexit" is a bit like the word "Trump" to me, one that I wish I could hear the last of.
ReplyDeleteLike you I wish those two words could be permanently removed from my brain.
DeleteTrump is the word my mother used to say when she meant 'bottom burping' AKA F**T... I look at the man and smile..
DeleteDid you just TRUMP Cherie? What do you say young lady?
DeletePardon me mummy.
In my opinion YP the average 'man in the street' (and I include myself here) has absolutely no idea whether it is advantageous to stay or leave the EU. We only know what we are told and that is often far from the truth of the matter.
ReplyDeleteEven those "leading" the process of departure are very unclear about what might lie ahead.
DeleteThat's the most frightening of all YP !
DeleteThoughts:
ReplyDelete1. In spite of your opinion, there WAS a referendum.
2. "Leave" and "Remain" are perfect options. Cuts through all the distracting underbrush when a choice must be made. Rather like saying "Trump" and "Clinton" in the American election.
3. Juxtaposing the words "Russia" and "clearly" is never advisable.
4. It's your choice but it's permanent" - why the LOL? It's all too excruciatingly true in the case of, say, aborting a pregnancy.
5. Voting against entry into the EU in 1975 and voting to stay in the Brexit referendum indicates you tend not to hold the majority opinion.
I could easily argue with each of your six points Bob but I don't wish to offend a blogging friend who I have happily communicated with for years now. I shall keep my own counsel.
DeleteYou are a gentleman and a scholar.
DeleteWait -- SIX points?
DeleteOccasionally I should don reading glasses! FIVE points...!
DeleteThere will be tears.... just mark my words :-)
ReplyDeleteThere are tears already Heron - tears of uncertainty and anxiety about what the future might hold.
DeleteI can't help but ask what you would have recommended as solutions for some of the issues Britain was facing at the time of the vote (such as immigration putting a massive strain on the country's resources including available employment), as well as the lack of responsiveness of the EU body toward member concerns. That being said, I do believe there was a lack of full understanding by citizens of the possible fallout. It is not a simple issue, but with enough facts the population would at least have been able to make a fully informed choice - which may have even been the same choice. In any case, the answer is not to deny democracy, but to educate the citizens.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it was almost impossible to predict the future course of things. The pompous politicians just did not know. They have led us into a jungle.
DeleteGreat comments on Brexit. I hope that somebody comes along who can rescue the situation before all the lemmings go over the cliff never to come back again.
ReplyDeleteWhat we need is Superman!...Justin Trudeau looks like Clark Kent without those geeky glasses.
DeleteJustin Trudeau is turning out to be just another politician, actually :)
Delete"Fixit", perhaps....?
ReplyDeleteBreakit
DeleteBrexit is the least of my worries. I'll stick with trying to figure out why I can't preview my comment before I publish it.....
ReplyDeleteAlphie
You may need to call on the services of a young man who is well-versed in computer issues and can guide you through your difficulties.
DeleteSome of the comments from the Remain camp seem to assume that many of us who voted to Leave, have only half a brain and have been blindly led somewhere. Could I say that some of us, especially us older ones, do have full brains and many years of experience and made our choices using those powers, we didn't simply believe what we read and heard.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Derek. :)
DeleteDerek - Weren't you one of those people who was led into the mountain by The Pied Piper of Hamelin? How the hell did you get out?
DeleteAs a Yorkshireman who has no intention of returning to the UK, I don't have a strong opinion either way on Britain's leaving the EU. The British were always reluctant members anyway, and as with any community you have to be a willing participant or it just won't work. One thing is clear and that is Britain is a very divided nation. This is the Chinese century, so maybe you should all start learning to speak putonghua instead of French at school. Bonne chance, mes amis.
ReplyDeleteBetween Sheffield and Glossop there's a road known as The Woodhead Pass. Was it named after you Michael? It's bleak and windswept and I once saw a dead badger there - bloated at the side of the road. Britain remains one of the best countries on this planet.
DeleteSince we're from West Yorkshire I'd like to think we have some connection to the posh village of Burley Woodhead outside Ilkley. The name seems to come from anyone who lived at t'top of the woods. I actually would like to spend more time in Blighty but the recent UKIP-friendly immigration rule changes now make it impossible for my non-EU wife to pay anything more than a brief visit (even thought she was a former resident/taxpayer). I know where I'm not welcome, as Hilda Ogden used to say on Coronation St.
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