We have barely a day left before the polls open. And I feel the tension.
We have seen a dirty campaign, full of the typical personal attacks on politicians on either side of the debate. We have had facts thrown at us, and then questioned and argued with more facts with shaky credibility. We have seen fear become the go-to tactic of both camps.
The referendum campaign was most punctuated by the sad death of a sitting politician, Jo Cox, murdered by a far-right crackpot. Sadly, this showed us the dark under-belly that exists in our society, one that I fear is growing.
A forgotten aspect to the referendum is the large number of swing voters that exist. The extremes of the issue have been steadfast throughout the run up, but there are a host of people, including myself, who are not confident of what choice they will make. And it may come to a choice made in the voting booth, as they stare at that piece of paper, pencil in hand.
These swing voters can make all the difference. Will they choose to remain, for a chance to improve, or will they choose to make the choice that we might not be able to make again – the choice to leave, and to attempt to survive independent of the EU?
We should be wary of what polls are telling us, we know how accurate they proved in last year’s general election. But, I am confident it is going to be a close race. It’s not likely to be a landslide decision, but one side is going to get a nose in front.
I am adamant that HANSARD should remain independent in this decision. I want readers to make up their own minds. But, this should be an intelligent decision. This is a different kind of vote. It’s a once in a life-time (probably) choice. It’s also a decision that has wider implications beyond our own sovereignty, or who is in power. It’s about our place in the world, our influence on our neighbours, and about the future of our economy. It’s also about the future of our society.
A Brexit would be a win for nationalism. It would be seen as a win for the likes of Farage and all those who agree with his arguments. All of his arguments, warts and all.
The choice is yours, just think very carefully with the choice you make.
HANSARD 