Reflection

Now some time to settle back and switch on the TV to catch up with news from the UK on Sky News and BBC World News. Well well well.

Back in the 60s, Charles de Gaulle blocked the UK's attempts to join the then pre- EU group. I understand now what he meant by the British race simply not being of the mentality to join such a club. While things have changed greatly since then, there is still a large undercurrent of such insular thinking.

I might add that when France and Germany signed the friendship "Élysée Treaty"in 1963, de Gaulle accused the "Germans of behaving like pigs" when he found out that they had introduced some words in the preamble that "required" the UK to be part of the EEC/EU.

However, regardless of all else, the action I took on 21st February in cancelling my Twitter and sundry other social media accounts as a result of the totally unacceptable vitriolic nonsense being spread around from the moment Cameron gave his press announcement in Brussels was not wrong. It has been months of a quite unbelievable, unprofessional, incompetent and disgraceful campaign by both sides. Seems to me the press made the agenda knowing it was the event to save themselves from going out of business.

I suppose the 48/52 result was better than 52/48 which would probably have resulted in a total collapse of the British parliamentary system. But still, it was clear this was not a referendum on the EU and that many senior people in society claiming to work for the common man only had their own personal futures at heart and they are people who will not be hurt financially whichever way it goes. To lose 50% of a few million may cause one to consider only having caviar once a week but for the Sunderland Nissan employee who might lose his job, it almost certainly means the rest of his life without any future hope.

I am very sad and will have to start thinking hard about my future plans despite having forked out over 100 GBP for a new passport last week.

The photo is of Angie's train bringing her from nearby Mindelheim where she had driven to, to drop off her car for service and MOT tomorrow. She very kindly said I shouldn't also drive the 20km and bring her home but she would use her season ticket for the train if I picked her up in Sontheim.