I regret the way I voted.

[lulucappuccino]

After a long day reading Facebook (didn't announce on there that I'd voted out), colleagues talking and family (who do know how I voted) complaining, I really wish I'd voted to remain.

I read a few bullet point articles and felt swayed by the amount of money were were paying to the EU. But I feel as though I'd partly not researched enough and also believed the hype.

Seeing the pound falling and friends worried for their jobs etc, I feel as though I've done something really bad. In fact, I'm sure I have.

Does anyone else regret the way they voted, whichever way that was?

whydidhesaythat Glad you feel better. It makes me feel much worse. 'Oops, sorry, I think I destroyed your children's future. Oh and yours too.'

I'm not a violent person but its make me clench my fists even thinking about it.
Maybe I'll start a petition 'Petition to give all British Citizens the right to use their brain when given a really important decision.

I know, I know. Anger-fuelled sarcasm.

I agree with you trafal.

People are now scared for the future and that of their children (understandably so as its a time of huge uncertainty) but this is what we have lived with for generations. I grew up in Merthyr, my family are in Merthyr. I've moved 25 minutes away and it's like a different world.

*Egosumquisum
LOL. The Daily Fail should be banned. Its poisonous.

well, I hope you're right that things can't get worse.

I fear that they can though. I hope I'm wrong ... and there's a lot of evidence as to what happens when social safety networks are dismantled completely, even from the UK.

I live in South Wales. I understand that people in the Valleys and in many other post-industrial areas voted for change, any change, in sheer desperation.

But I genuinely don't see how leaving the EU is going to make it any better. Almost all the factors behind the decline of these areas are either global or internal to the UK.

The only thing that may be different is if a system of work visas is brought in, and what the nature of that system is. There is no guarantee that will happen - Daniel Hannan has already said immigration will remain the same. Also, remember that businesses will lobby either against any control on immigration that doesn't align with their interests.

Those who regret their Leave vote, consider supporting the petition to Parliament for a 2nd EU referendum, which has already attracted 1.5 million signatures.

I voted to Remain and am extremely distraught by the results. The good news (for those who support the UK remaining in the EU) is that this referendum is not legally binding (see below from BBC website):

Could MPs block an EU exit?

The referendum result is not legally binding - Parliament still has to pass the laws that will get Britain out of the 28 nation bloc, starting with the repeal of the 1972 European Communities Act.
...
One scenario that could see the referendum result overturned, is if MPs forced a general election and a party campaigned on a promise to keep Britain in the EU, got elected and then claimed that the election mandate topped the referendum one.

A petition with millions of signatures could provide ground for Parliament to do something to get us out of this fix.

Patty the fact that there could be a chance that uncapped immigration/freedom of movement continuing has been a sticking point for many I've spoken to but I think ultimately we have taken that risk because at least this way there's a chance things can change for the better.

Juskaskingnottelling is exactly right. DH works for a major financial institution that employs literally tens of thousands of people, not just in the City but throughout the UK. There is a very good chance that they will have to move all of those jobs out of the UK in order to be permitted to continue to do business in the EU. This is true of every similar corporation currently based in the UK. Just think for a moment about the effect on the UK economy of the lost tax base and other lost revenue (e.g. spending in the private sector by their employees), and also of the effect on housing prices of that many people selling up and moving.

pickledpears I have to say I think it's a very, very, very slim chance that things will be better outside the EU.

I'm afraid things will be much, much worse.

Pickledpears, I hear what you are saying. I grew up in South Wales, in one of the towns you are referring to. The outlook is indeed extremely bleak for many there. However, it was often made so by the wider policies of the Tories - the group in relation to whose behaviour you have just removed all third party checks and balances. You honestly believe that after years of leaving South Wales to rot, they'll suddenly in a time of financial austerity ehen there is more pressure on them than ever before be jumping up and down to create UK-wide policies that will make sure Wales is looked after? I would be pleasantly astonished by such a development. It's great that the Welsh Assembly is keen but manufacturing and trade will also be dependent on deveopments beyond the Welsh border.

pickledpears from what I've read of your posts, do you genuinely believe that the problems of the Welsh Valleys are going to be solved by capping immigration?

I also live and work in South Wales and have great difficulty seeing the unbridled levels of immigration that you are talking about. Specifically EU immigrants. Working in and around a hospital, the overwhelming majority of people I see are Welsh and if I do come across immigrants of Eu or non-EU identity- they are working in the NHS, not taking from it.

The EU funding Wales has received has been a massive boost- so much regeneration in places like Swansea, making it a more attractive place to visit, boosting tourism- there's jobs growth for you. Expanding the University, again, more boosting employment in the area. This type of funding has attracted the likes of TVR and Aston Martin to say they will build their new manufacturing plants in South Wales, again, more jobs for the local population. How can you not see that leaving the EU is, in all likelihood, going to be bad for Wales?

I say all this with a very heavy heart. DH and I will probably be ok, we are highly trained and can move our skills elsewhere if needed- they always be in demand, but it is those who cannot that I fear for. The people who are already completely hamstrung by poor economic circumstance who now face a future where it will only get worse with no way out.

Oh definitely what, it's the Tories that have screwed the valleys over in the 80s and again since they came into power. I don't disagree with that but I think the EU is just made up of more out of touch people.

No I don't believe they are going to start giving a shit about wales all of a sudden.

Immigration has hit these towns hard, I'm hopeful of a points system being put in place to release some of the current pressures on public services.

I'm also hopeful that this is the start of a political reform.

I voted out and if I was given the choice I would do so again. We are NOT doomed. The country has been through much worse and survived and thrived. Instead of crying into your tea, gird your loins and be productive, do all you can to make this country GREAT again.

Oh this has tickled me. Very gung-ho. How do you propose any of the above will happen and what exactly do you mean by GREAT again? Where is your evidence? Or is this just some more Farage-esque rhetoric?

I would agree that political reform is the best we can hope for out of this situation. For all of those citing 'the EU is undemocratic' as a reason for voting leave, I hope you now campaign for proportional representation and an elected 2nd chamber (which ironically the EU already has in terms of ratifying legislation)

Now we are here, I really want to be proved wrong and for Brexit to work. However, with how long that may take and the wider ramifications to Europe as a whole that our actions as a nation will have, I just can't shake the feeling that this is all a terrible mistake.

Gin. Firstly no I don't think that capping immigration is going to be a magic wand and make everything better.

I do appreciate that eu money has reformed our towns and cities but I feel it's on a very superficial level. The Welsh government supported the tvr deal.

I'm sorry but your experience of immigration levels is very different to mine.

Yes many of our hcp are immigrants, usually non-eu. I have no problems with immigration if it's done on a points based system and the government plan ahead for our infrastructure and public services. Impossible with freedom of movement.

I do appreciate that eu money has reformed our towns and cities but I feel it's on a very superficial level.

Its great that you are confident that the towns and cities can do without superficial money.

Its great that you seem to think political change that will favour the working people is on its way.

Its complete fantasy but hey.

Helmet patronise away, it's attitudes like yours that have pushed people to vote leave.

But pickled, that makes no logical sense. How can the EU care less about Wales (superficially or otherwise) than the Tories when they were willing to give Wales funds that were not forthcoming from Westminster?

Talk about arguing that black is white.

Well you did it, not me, you did it to Wales.

But as you said earlier, after a few months, it'll be fine.

Goodness Pickledpears did you ( and the millions of other hereto labour voters in Britons decimated industrial heartlands) vote leave ( thereby opening the door for the right wing further destruction of workers rights) do so out of sense of schadenfreude ? So we in the affluent South East could know how it felt to disenfranchised and hopeless about the future ? If so you have succeeded, but at what cost ?

I'm not saying the eu care less about Wales than the Tories do. This wasn't a vote about getting the Tories out unfortunately.

That's fine helmet, like I said earlier things can't get any worse for the valleys than they already are so I'll take that risk. The same as the majority of Wales felt it was worth the risk.

I don't think anyone living in London or the home counties can envisage just how bad things are in places like Merthyr if they haven't seen it for themselves. I certainly didn't until I travelled there and saw it for myself a couple of years ago.

That is true - but the sad thing is they and other similar places that voted against the EU have not helped themselves. As deprived areas they got EU funding. Our government has not had a good record in helping those areas, so why should an even more right wing faction change that. And will a stagnating economy because of the uncertainty of what will happen (at least in the short/medium term), that is going to reduce taxes so there will be every excuse for our lovely government to not doing anything more (even if they wanted to).
Relatively wealthy areas like East Anglia who voted out because of vague ideas of "taking back control" have no idea how well off they are (not saying there aren't pockets - especially coastal towns like Yarmouth) - and may well wonder what they have done in a year or two.
We have big problems in this country - but the EU wasn't the root cause. Just a year ago we voted in this government - we wasted the chance to make changes from within. And we have legally given them another 4 years to do things there way - even though we didn't actually vote for the strong right wingers who will now be running things.

In my office the cleaner admitted she knew nothing about what people were voting for so didn't vote. The most honest of all.

Btw I do know South Wales well. I holidayed on Gower as a child, the tears rolled down my face watching Merthyr and Swansea vote for their own demise in the early hours of Friday morning.

No stillwish, I didn't vote leave to bring down the affluent south east.