A Mum blog, on Brexit

Don’t worry, I have a certain amount of self loathing about that title too. Mum blog? Brexit? Yawn.

Not to mention that in my previous pre-children life, of business, policy, and research, I would have felt infinitely more qualified to offer up any real commentary.

These days, my keeping-up-with-the-news strategy consists in The Times daily email briefing (I finally stopped being so cheap and actually subscribed); a daily bedtime scroll through the Guardian (although, let’s face it, oftentimes sidetracked by their excellent ‘lifestyle‘ section), and brief snippets of BBC news, which is about 97% focused on seeing what jazzy tie the sparkly-eyed Huw Edwards has chosen that particular day.

Huw I believe everything you are about to tell me. And the turquoise block colour tie – absolute classic.

All that to say: my political nous isn’t what it was – or even, in fact, what it could be.

Nevertheless! If you could tolerate my writing about Trump on a lowly Mum blog then hopefully you can put up with my tapping out a few depressed and deeply disappointed words about Brexit.

More than that actually: after Theresa May’s speech earlier today (we stand ready! – except…that we don’t, not really) – after that infinitely meme-able speech, I just wanted to peek my head over the parapet (I can’t help myself: she started the war room rhetoric) and say publicly, and in the spirit of remaining off the fence – I hate Brexit! And all that it represents, about politics and people’s fears and an insular view of the world.

I mean it’s probably obvious that would be my position – I lived in London (REMAIN!) and then Cambridge (REMAIN!) before we emigrated to Vancouver Island a couple of years ago.

I mentioned Cambridge which, in my mind, licenses me to post gratuitous pictures of my children in Cambridge

And by that I mean I lived in a bubble of mostly like-minded people who, also, enjoyed the idea of being deeply connected to Europe.

My generation grew up with the notion of free movement across Europe as an absolutely fundamental part of our lives – and potential lives.

I might never have lived in Barcelona but, you know, it was always an option! Just one that I was never — quite — cool enough to live out.

Definitely cool enough for Barcelona

Anyway, even now as an already-expat and as a Mum of many destined, likely, never to live in Barcelona, regardless of how the referendum turned out – even now, I feel such disappointment and shame about the outcome. At best, it feels like a political and cultural step backwards – at worst; xenophobia, greed and outright corruptible, false politics.

Sure, somewhat a sharp deviation from thoughts on painting a piano. But this is a personal blog and every now and then it feels important to make sure that these ideas and opinions are voiced in every medium possible – except maybe Facebook. No one wants to read political status updates on Facebook.

A comforting Mum blog image to conclude

Regular service to resume ASAP I promise! With a baking post in the works and also one on fragrance. Things to eat and buy. Back, comfortably, within approved Mum blog content etiquette.

tMatM x