I want people to tell me why they voted #leave

[AliceScarlett]

I'm feeling pretty shocked and scared right now.

Why did you vote for brexit?

I'm probably about as pissed off to be labelled 'anti-British' for voting remain as the Brexiters are about being labelled racists. I think both sides voted because they thought it was in Britain's best interests. One side is sadly deluded of course.

I voted Leave to bring about change, because a Remain win would have been an endorsement of a status quo that cannot continue - Brexit was inevitable sooner or later. I really didn't expect it to happen today though.

Had Remain won, given that we couldn't get any more reforms out of them we basically would have had to accept the EU as it is, which is an unsustainable, bloated, wasteful institution that ties itself up in a web of rules and regulations (which cost a fortune to translate) and trivial legislation on matters that should be left to individual countries, while failing to show any real cohesion when it comes to crucially important issues such as the I word". Lampedusa? Italy's problem. Calais? France's problem. No thanks we said, we don't want the Schengen agreement in the UK. Austria closing borders? It's like we're all saying: Let's all just do whatever we like because basically that's how we see ourselves. As separate countries. There's no genuine unity. We don't really believe in the EU. We never joined the single currency. Either we play the EU game on a level playing field or we don't play it at all, we can't mix and match the rules to suit ourselves.

This is just the beginning of the end for the EU. This time next year we may well be reading headlines about Frexit and Nexit and I may well be out of a job.

Voting Leave won't make any difference to migrants. We'll have to take them in order to devise a trade deal. And without migrants the City would grind to a halt- have people know idea of the global talent pool that keeps the country functioning? Not talking about Polish plumbers but highly skilled people in IT and business.

Proud of your culture? I have yet to hear anyone explain to me what that culture is exactly. But whatever it means to you, it wasn't under threat from the EU anyway. Your 'culture' is no more secure or protected now than it was before.
I also don't understand why anyone says they proud to be English/Welsh/Swedish/Iranian whatever. You had nothing to do with it. Why would you be proud of it?

I voted out because the EU stopped Anchovette paste being imported from South Africa.

Want me to send you some, Exit?

Some light relief.

"We can arrange our own trade deals with the EU. Only we won't allow freedom of movement to be allowed to be shoved down our throats"

Except that trade deals will doubtless come with a requirement for freedom of movement, because it would be fucking stupid if they didn't.

To everyone who voted out to curb immigration...... what are you suggesting we do when crops need harvesting, when our ill, disabled and elderly need caring for, and we've sent all the migrants home. And no-one in the UK wants to do the job.

Aw thanks Jamey. I still have some from my brother's last visit.

I didn't realise limiting future immigration numbers was the same as kicking out all existing migrants.

"Statistically, people have voted out because they're older with no higher education qualifications. But no graphs I'm looking at have actually made me understand why."

My guess is the older people are more sceptical of foreigners (I'm not quite saying racist there) and more likely to hark back to times of empire or see Britain as a bit superior and not needing to be in a Union with our neighbours.

Less educated people partly because of fear of not being able to get jobs because of potential competition from Eastern Europeans willing/able to work for less. Also a history of reading anti-European tabloid newspapers.

I voted leave because the EU is a dysfunctional organisation and I just didn't believe it could be fixed. I wanted it to work as I think its a good idea but sadly sometimes you have to put a sick animal down.

Can anyone actually explain a good reason to vote Brexit? I haven't seen one yet. 'Sovereignty', 'getting our borders back' - I don't think even you know what you mean.

I would like to hear some strong positive reasons why people voted leave.

All I have heard are jingoistic abstract notions of "taking back control"

What will that control mean?

What positive change will this bring about?

How will life in Britain be better now?

I think I will actually laugh if the French stop preventing refugees from leaving Calais. Our border does not stop there and we all know it. Let's see Brexiteers out in dinghies protecting their borders

xpost bendy
my thoughts exactly

I've not read the thread but answering the OP question.

I know that many people voted leave because they were fed up of being called racist when they felt they weren't:when they felt they had genuine concerns.

If only this matter had been addressed because by closing people's fears down by this knee jerk response only made it not spoken about-it doesn't make it go away. In fact, it added to an air if defiance.

Anyway, that's what I think but I haven't taken a survey!

Bendy, i voted out as this country is full up. We can't afford to keep housing and feeding the world.
We can soon adopt an Australian style immigration policy.
Then we can pick and choose who we let in, instead of being forced to accept anyone and everyone

To everyone who voted out to curb immigration...... what are you suggesting we do when crops need harvesting, when our ill, disabled and elderly need caring for, and we've sent all the migrants home. And no-one in the UK wants to do the job

These jobs will now be typically more available to British citizens. I can't understand why people think that Britain so so terrible we need Europe to keep us afloat.

The cheap low skilled labour that two thirds of the EU immigrants actually do drive down wages - just like Corbin said. Now firms will have to start paying a real wage

Admittedly I voted leave.

Immigration had absolutely nothing to do with it for me. I don't think it will change massively anyway. I don't think the borders will ever close and I wouldn't be bothered if they didn't.

Some immigrants are a strain on finances yes, but the vast majority come here to work and do the shit jobs none of us want. They do a bloody good job of it too.

I voted leave mainly because I don't particularly trust the eu. I don't think rules can be that universal over countries that are so different. I don't think it's particularly necessary.

Why does everyone assume that because you voted out you're thick old and racist?

I am none of those things.

The only twats in this situation are the ones trying to shame those who made a different choice to them.

I have no problem with anyone who voted remain, or leave. Everyone's entitled to their vote, their own thoughts and beliefs. Doesn't make them a twat because their vote, thoughts or beliefs are not the same as mine.

I do think there will be another referendum. I don't think we will leave anyway.

Though I don't think anyone can point blank say 'this is what's going to happen and this is when we'll do it'

My favourite so far had been an out vote to 'stop the illegals'

Let us just take a moment to think about that.

I'm so disappointed in this country. So disappointed. Statistically it was the older generations and the poorly educated who have voted us out of the EU.

I'm so proud of this country. So proud. Statistically it was the disaffected and predominantly working classes who have voted us into an independent nation.

lostinyonkers I think some Brexiters are kidding themselves that Brits actually want those jobs but are being turned away. That's certainly not what I see down here in Cornwall. I don't hear of British people being turned down for jobs picking cabbages, potatoes and daffodils. It's eastern Europeans doing those vital jobs, and they'll all still be needed! But those business will have more red tape to get the labour they need, so presumably prices will go up as a result.