Brexit

[Witton Park]

I don't know the demographics of this figure, but I suspect those in higher education and early professional jobs probably had a higher turnout which was let down by unemployed youngsters etc. Hence they are so vocal and annoyed.

For example, my nephew is at Delft university on an Erasmus scholarship (only for EU members, so he may have the plug pulled on his education) doing his MA. He is disgusted by the result and cannot believe what has occurred; having also been educated at international schools in Mozambique (for 8 years) he is a European with friends worldwide and planning his career working and travelling anywhere in Europe as demanded. He now looks on the British as horrible racists and is talking of denouncing his British citizenship he is so embarrassed by it. I hope he will calm down.

My niece has just done her law finals at Kings and going on (hopefully) to an MA and specialising in medical law, with a similar international background she also hoped to work for firms throughout Europe without problems. Both their future careers are based in us being in EU and ease of access to international work.

Another girl we know at Uni in Wales, who was out canvassing for remain, said she wanted to crawl away into a cave and felt ashamed to be Welsh (Wales was a high leave vote), her very best friends at Uni are Eastern Europeans and obviously concerned - to put it mildly.

All the above voted (postal) and I think have good reason to feel p****d off about their immediate future prospects, as they start climbing the ladder of life someone has just removed 2 rungs of the ladder. To the next generation of professionals this result must seem cataclysmic, I don't blame them for being so angry.

But worse is the fact that they are embarrassed by their nationality, born and bred in a country they no longer feel proud of. That I find immensely sad - even if you don't give a t**s.

My two daughters went to Uni and voted Leave - they live away from home and make their own decisions. They still have access to the world and I doubt that will change.
The Erasmus programme involves 33 nations so I think there is a good chance it will be unaffected.

But I know a few 18-21 year olds not at Uni. A couple work at a local supermarket. One is on a 20 hour contract and the other on 25 hours.
They are stock assistants on £7.00 an hour give or take.
They typically get shifts of 5-6 hours which ties up 4 working days for the sake of part-time work.
They cannot take another job, because the shifts can vary from a 6-12 morning, 12-6 daytime or 5-11 evening and occasional nigh shifts.
They rarely get 4 days on, 3 off as the shift patterns tend to be random.
So take home pay is around £150 a week.

One is a Dad. They cannot consider travelling, gap years and celebrating the various cultures and experiences to be had around the world.

It could be their fault.
They could be let down by the education system.
They could be let down by the state.

But they are where they are and what is their future? They want more hours so they aren't lazy, in fact both are grafters, but full-time is not available and is rare these days within the industry and at the level they work in.

Government policy is certainly partly responsible, but so is freedom of movement which allows the pool of unskilled labour to be artificially high.
They do work with EU migrants and they get on with them, socialise with them and they are also grafters.

But would they have the opportunity for extra hours if they hadn't come to work in the UK?
Would they have the opportunity for overtime at higher rates per hour?

I think that is quite likely and it's certainly what they feel.

I'm just trying to outline that there is another perspective. What we had perhaps works for many, but it doesn't work for many.