I feel compelled to join this discussion. I am fed up with celebrities making mileage out of politics to raise their profile . I accept there are many who do a great job to compel us to respond to the plight of many in the world who are less fortunate than us , to reach out to all races who need support. However Lily Allen has shown her true vacuous self in her shabby "change of mind". How a young woman could exercise her right to vote ( which suffragettes died for ) in such a flippant manner is beyond me. All the worse for publishing it too. I would be embarrassed.
For the record, I have traditionally supported our membership of EU. I have lived , studied and worked in Europe and also Commonwealth countries prior to having a family. I am half Brit , half Austrian. ( one parent a Jewish immigrant , taken in by the UK as a child refugee). I was pleased when Cameron outlined his plan to negotiate a better deal for the UK . At this stage I had huge hope that it would result in a positive deal. However, the reality was a disappointment for me. None of the changes agreed with EU,( which were watered down incidentally, ) were set in treaty. I had concerns for the interference the EU was planning to put more regulation into the City of London, with individual national self interest at heart. The disaster of the EU management of the biggest migration from war torn regions since world war 2, further highlighted how 27 member states cannot agree a policy, leading to intolerable suffering for victims of war. the EU decision making process is bureaucratic at best and often shambolic.
I had concerns re the financial position of Greece, Italy and Spain. The Eu handling of the global financial crisis meant that that Italy and Spain suffered hugely compared to the top performing economies in the EU, leading to a current rate of 50 % youth unemployment in these countries. Greece was Incompetently deemed financially viable to become a member state and now the EU ( Germany ) bail them out constantly, as a means of putting off the inevitability of defaulting on payments, a socially, financially, crippled Greece limps on in the EU, as there will be a crisis if it is left to default which will rock the EU . The growth of Brussels interference in our UK laws, was not a vote winner for me either eg court of human rights has the right to overturn UK law. As for security intelligence and protection against terrorists, I trust the 5 i set up with have with major countries outside the Eu as far more reassuring than countries like France and Belgium. I want control back overall, I want immigrants in the UK , controlled by our own immigration laws, so that we can respond to pain and suffering in the world quickly , but also safely , in order that we secure our borders, and additionally do not swamp areas of the UK with volumes of migrants to put ridiculous pressure on the local services, NHS, schools and housing . This does not mean I am a xenophobic fool, nor does it make most people racists for worrying about these pressures either. But I feel we will do better as a nation if we can have authority over this, this does not necessary mean vastly less numbers, but now we can take in economic migrants from the world and select talented , self motivated individuals who will add value to our country, with many less social problems as a result . I voted Brexit for these reasons. Je ne regrette rien! I exercised my democratic right, it deserves to be respected by my MP who represents me in Parliament , throughout the UK , MPs should represent their constituencies , recognising that in every part of the UK apart from London and Scotland we voted out. To quote David Cameron "Out is out" . There again he said he wasn't a quitter......who do we trust?