Head Space Daily Words...

Last Friday morning, a week ago today, it was as if I had woken up on another planet. As soon as I heard the Referendum result, the world turned upside down. Everything looked the same but the atmosphere hung heavy with trepidation. I was now part of a 48% minority and we were leaving the EU. My beliefs and what I stood for and what I believed our country stood for suddenly felt unprotected, vulnerable and wrong. The open, welcoming, forward thinking Great Britain that I was proud to be a part of, was suddenly not so great anymore. The character of the country had been transformed overnight, with the narrow minded, curtain twitching, jingoistic part of England now leading the way. To have lost the Referendum in what could prove to be the biggest political decision of my lifetime, felt unbearable. Instant despair consumed me and made me want to take flight – Scotland, Ireland, France; and then anger took over and I wanted to fight, stand my ground and not let the system take me down. Flight isn’t an option, so I have to fight and make things better. I have lived in London since 1994 and what makes it such a great city, is the mix of people, with nationalities from all over the world living together, side by side, in community. On my little street alone, there are Turkish, Indian, Irish, Ghanaian, Dutch, Australian, Chinese, Spanish, German, Jamaican, black, brown, mixed race and white people. I never properly knew what community was until I lived in London and South East London in particular. Suddenly, the strength of this community is being questioned and the way it will answer will be to grow even stronger.

I grew up in Birmingham, where cosy, white, middle class suburbs, such as the one where I lived, circle the inner city. These safe havens are oblivious to the Asian and West Indian communities who occupy such areas and the lack of opportunity that these communities face. Out of sight, out of mind. The majority of London works so well as a society because we all live together - a united blend of difference. Of course it is not perfect, nowhere is but the understanding and trust which has built up through living together doesn’t exist to the same degree in places such as Birmingham. Suspicion, resentment and ignorance have taken over, due to the separation of different groups within society and the uncertain economic times we have been facing. A multi cultural, international city like Birmingham which has always looked to take part in the world, should have been voting to Remain but instead voted 50.4% to Leave. To my mind this is shameful but not unexpected and plenty of Birmingham Leave voters will have sat down last Friday night to eat their favourite balti dish in their local curry house and not seen the irony. Bristol, Manchester and Liverpool, take a bow. You rejected the lies outright. Leicester, Newcastle and Leeds, you squeaked in by the width of your replica shirts but you should feel no pride. As for Nottingham and Sheffield, well, lets not go there.

My London Borough, Lewisham, voted 69.9% to remain but despite that overwhelming figure, we are now in a minority within the country and the 52% who voted Leave – and it was their choice to do so, for whatever reason - have given the green light for people of different nationalities, religions, or those who are not white, to be abused. The modern day Alf Garnetts, Hyacinth Buckets and Basil Fawltys can now all come into the open like racist zombies, to air their prejudice and believe me, these people will enjoy nothing more than letting you know their views - probably over a cup of tea and a piece of cake - because they are part of the 52 and will feel justified. Racism in any form, however subtle, or violent, is despicable, unacceptable, pure hatred, designed to frighten, demean, bully, spread intolerance and evoke superiority. On results morning, I woke to discover that I had been transported back in time by 40 years, to an era of fear, narrow-minded racism and bigotry. All the work to build many communities had been undone in the blink of an eye.

I can see why certain areas voted Leave, as a lot of people in the country feel disaffected, let down and disenfranchised but this was a referendum on the future of the EU, not a protest vote against the government and I don’t think a lot of people fully understood what they were voting for. Most Leavers seemed to think they were voting for change, for something better but it looks as though, as a result of voting to leave, situations could actually become worse. We are certainly culturally poorer already. Leave had the support of the right wing press and a slogan that stuck. They knew how to express their lies and deceit with two little words – take control – which seemed to simultaneously say everything but mean nothing to a large section of society, who fell for it. The Remain campaign was too complacent, not engaged, played on people’s fears and didn’t have a simple message. Something like Stronger Together to portray a united Europe and the great benefits from having close ties with neighbouring countries - peace being one of them - would have helped.  Anyway, it’s done now, so what could have been, is not even worth thinking about.

Last Friday, Londoners appeared ashen faced and beaten, which is not a look that I associate with the people of my city. I had a strange sense of vulnerability, which I am sure other people felt but I am a white, middle class man. How must it have felt to be a Polish cleaning lady – a section of society that has come in for huge resentment - an Italian electrician, a Pakistani construction worker, or a Jamaican teacher, feeling that the majority of people in the country might not even want you here? These people are part of our society and contribute hugely. From the vocal bigots, the message to any foreigner seemed to be go home and that has to stop; 52% doesn’t make it alright, or give a license for abuse.

It makes me sad that the lives of our kids – and their kids – have potentially been irreversibly changed. The freedom to travel, the freedom to work, the freedom to live where you choose, aspects of life that we have taken for granted are presumably going to be severely affected. The loss of that sense of freedom, openness, and the ability for adventure – a world on your doorstep - will hit them hard, as our national identity is redefined to take on the Little England mentality. My eldest son has already asked whether his mates from Spain and Bulgaria will be allowed to stay in the country.

Cameron and Johnson both claimed that nothing will change, which is of course another lie to add to the many lies we have already been told. If we come out on the other side of this mess and nothing has changed, after dividing the country, causing rifts within families and untold grief, the question will surely be, why did we have to go through it all in the first place? The best way I see of moving forward is to embrace what has happened – because we can’t change it - and make it better. We shouldn’t resign ourselves to a ‘life goes on’ position, or behave as if last Friday was a bad dream and I really don’t see how another referendum can be justified or helpful - a result is a result. The politicians who have lied to us cannot be allowed to rest for one second. Johnson may be out of the race for PM, stabbed in the back by the loathsome and deeply untrustworthy Michael Gove but neither of them, along with Farage, can be allowed to rest (signing this petition to bring charges against Farage for racial hatred is a good start http://tinyurl.com/zaexufs). Between them they have destroyed our national identity and created a split that may never fully heal. If Theresa May becomes Prime Minister, we can't let her rest either, until this utter shambles is made better. We have all been treated like fools and taken for a ride. Now we must come together – including Leavers who feel the same way - to make our voices heard, because that’s all we have but our voices when combined can be very powerful indeed.