Category: Brexit

Finding out how pro-Brexit Britons in Austria feel…

To date my blog has been dominated by pro-Bremain content – but of course this is only part of the story – there are Britons in Austria (and elsewhere in Europe) who favour a Brexit.

To date my blog has been dominated by pro-Bremain content – but of course this is only part of the story – there are Britons in Austria (and elsewhere in Europe) who favour a Brexit. Aside from vociferous forum/facebook trolls (trolling in general, not in particular in relation to the Brexit debate), in the interests of trying to understand how people’s opinions differ – or how personal circumstances shape their position, as well as to get away from merely expressing and “broadcasting” my opinion, I will be posting the views of some Britons in Austria, who identify themselves as favouring a Brexit.

Continue reading “Finding out how pro-Brexit Britons in Austria feel…”

Is this the “Boris moment” I’d been expecting to materialise?

I woke up this morning and read about Boris Johnson comparing the aims of the EU to those of Adolf Hitler. From someone who sincerely hopes that the referendum will see the UK remaining in the EU, I have spent the last few weeks following the opinion polls and soaking up the coverage in the media, as the campaigning for remaining in/leaving the EU have begun in earnest. Continue reading “Is this the “Boris moment” I’d been expecting to materialise?”

Martin Wolf – busting the scare tactics

UK Membership of the European Union is likened to being akin to shovelling crisp fifty pound notes into the furnace in Brussels every week.

A piece by Martin Wolf in the Irish Times recently came to my attention – not least because it takes ten very common perceptions being quoted about leaving the EU, and debunks them. Continue reading “Martin Wolf – busting the scare tactics”

Should I vote or should I not? A question to my facebook friends

Facebook question
Should I vote or not? A question to Facebook friends.

Yesterday I posted a question on my Facebook profile, and asked British friends – both based in the UK and elsewhere to give their reasons why they should or should not vote in the forthcoming UK referendum on EU membership. I never usually agonise about the wording of something like this – although the wording was important – and for me the aim was not to canvass people on which way they would vote, or even their allegiance to “remaining in” or “supporting a Brexit”. Continue reading “Should I vote or should I not? A question to my facebook friends”

Wetheeu.com – interview with me online

My recent interview with wetheeu.com about life as an British citizen is now online at wetheeu.com

wetheeu interview
Michael talks to Rebecca Sumner Smith – from wetheeu.com

My recent interview with wetheeu.com about life as an British citizen is now online – and I’m very pleased about how it has turned out. Sharing it with friends on Facebook has also had a very pleasant effect – a lot have commented about how well written it was. The full article is now on the wetheeu.com website – and hopefully clears up how much there is at stake for Brits who have fallen foul of the 15-year-rule. I will also wait for a few more days before posting some of the comments received.

Rebecca Pow, MP for Taunton Deane, voting to stay in

When I contacted Rebecca Pow, the Conservative MP for Taunton Deane, at the start of March, she replied that she had not yet decided in which camp she would be in for the UK Referendum on EU Membership. She has now chosen to support the campaign for remaining in the EU, a decision which I salute, and am highly relieved at. Continue reading “Rebecca Pow, MP for Taunton Deane, voting to stay in”

How realistic is the two-year period for negotiating a Brexit? And what does Article 50 of the EU Treaty say?

Having touched upon the issue of Article 50 of the European Treaty and how it offers a two-year transitional period, I have, when speaking to a couple of media enquiries, emphasised that it is not this period that will be the most difficult for Expats living abroad, but what comes after the expiry of the transition period. The complexity of the Brexit is something that seems to have not been assessed particularly by those championing the advantages of leaving the EU. Continue reading “How realistic is the two-year period for negotiating a Brexit? And what does Article 50 of the EU Treaty say?”

Bluster from Boris?

At some point between now and the time of the referendum, I expect there to be a major event that might prove decisive for the course of the referendum – and the optimistic says it might be the result of a statement made by Boris Johnson. Unfortunately with so much of the fluff and bluster that he spouts, there is a fear that it might cocoon any bombshell that he might drop, the detonation of which could permanently damage his “Brexit” campaign. Continue reading “Bluster from Boris?”