This was in no way an easy decision. Over the past few months I've found that the more I've read on this topic, from both campaigns, the more confusing I've found things. So many cultivated statistics, contradictions, scare stories, and more than likely downright lies, have made this a very difficult topic to make an informed choice on. There is far more I could have investigated and researched myself, but I think it would have only strengthened a conclusion that I came to some time ago - there is no 'correct' choice and some people will be worse off irrespective of whether we remain or leave, at least it the short term. This may sound terribly pessimistic, however I feel that there are a number of things wrong with the EU that need urgent attention, and that there are so many unknowns with leaving the EU (more on this later), that a large number of people will likely either continue to feel the pain of the issues of being in the EU or will suffer financially from the uncertainty of leaving.
This brings me onto the campaigns. Even though I've been undecided, in the past, I have always felt that leaving would likely be for the best. However, the nature of the leave campaign has been tawdry, vulgar and divisive. It has focused too heavily on immigration, and in a way which at times has made even the thought of voting leave uncomfortable due to some of the perceived connotations associated with it. In addition, the lack of a clear plan - in terms of precisely how our relationship with the EU will evolve, as opposed to a laundry list of vague benefits, following a successful vote to leave has been disappointing. Finally, the incompetence and at times insensitivity of those at the forefront of the leave campaign gave me very little hope that a successful leave decision would be handled efficiently. I found the remain campaign to be far more professional, well thought out, and most importantly, believable.
Irrespective of the concerns with the leave campaign, I was still close to voting to leave. This was in no small way down to a very well written article by Inside World Football's Matt Scott - his excellent piece should have been a blueprint for the leave campaign; a focus on economic and social benefits rather than the immigration related scaremongering we've become used to.
So I've chosen to remain. It feels safe, and while safe isn't always the way to go, it feels the better option right now. I hope that as a Country this is what we go with, and in time that as a part of the EU we're able to steer it closer to what it ought to be.
As I round off typing this post Big Ben has struck 10 PM - the voting has closed and we have decided - I think the following tweet best sums things up:
Whichever way the referendum goes, I think Friday is going to be a weird day in the UK.— Jon Skeet (@jonskeet) June 22, 2016
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