You seem to have forgotten Yugoslavia, one of whose aggravating factors was the EC's premature recognition of Slovenia.

Talk about that EU army we were assured wouldn't happen...despite it being rumoured for years and now confirmed as a project. Funny how we were lied to.

Yes, the trend of better educated areas to vote Remain shows up clearly in the demographics. In fact, education was probably had the highest correlation of all factors ahead of age and income.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/dat...t-vote-was-won

I suggest you check your geography. Most of Russia is in Asia. And better educated doesn't equate with being sensible.

I think the problem with being educated is, that being educated does not mean wise.

The amount of brain dead idiots spoon fed through my course was incredible. The vast majority of which said they voted remain (although I have my doubts they voted).

education does not mean educated in anything other than passing an exam now. I wonder how many with C&Gs or NVQs voted remain vs Leave.

You weren't, you're just not up with the facts; why referenda are a bad idea.

The EU army wouldn't have happened had we stayed. Now we're leaving they can progress.

£350 for the NHS... funny isn;t it.... hahahha how we're all laughing.

There's a lot of truth in that. However, I would say that the strong trend to vote Remain for those with degrees says more about their social environment rater than level of intelligence or wisdom. There are many wise people without formal qualifications.

Anyone with a University degree would have spent at least 3 or 4 years living in a multinational, multicultural and politically idealistic world which tends to get rid of any prejudices you had before. They are also far more likely than non-graduates to be working with immigrants who are fellow professionals and graduates who they see as colleagues and friends rather than threats as well as more likely to have worked and have business links abroad.

They all vote remain too

See, that's the best thing about getting a divorce. Both can move on. Happy days!

If we had anywhere to move on to...

Yes, they should really spend more time reading the Faily Mail & the Faily Ex-press for a daily dose of delusion.

Touché darling.

The world which is actually growing.

You mean because we had a veto? You will notice that not once did anyone say we would use the veto, just that we had one, which means nothing if you aren't prepared to use it.
Like the classic evasive 'there are no plans at this time to do or not udo something'. Oh well, you obviously believed Cameron & co.


As around 50% of them now go to university there are many more who would never have qualified years ago when it was only the top few percent, real 'elite' if you like, and the range of knowledge and experience varies enormously. Just having a degree proves nothing much these days, because as well as the future doctors, engineers and scientists there are a fair number who go either because it's expected or to put off work for another few years. Far more drop out now it's a common thing rather than a privilege.
Of the graduates I know, including those I worked with here in London (which voted 40% Leave, remember) as a lowly O level achiever were from other cultures and nationalities and more voted Leave than Remain. One 30 year old Icouldn't be bothered to vote at all because he 'isn't interested in politics'.
Just because they went to university doesn't make them special, it's what sort of person they are and what they do with their lives afterwards does that.

Laugh all you like if you misread one of many political slogans during a political campaign. Do you always take them so seriously?

It's an interesting question more widely, not just thinking of the older generation. Why did people old and young who are knowledgable, educated, experienced and professional vote Brexit?

To make sure their country becomes a self governing nation again? I am not sure why people are struggling with this question?

Indeed. There are also many other reasons why thinking and intelligent people concluded that they preferred on balance for the UK to leave.

But there's a widely accepted view developing that Brexit was down to the uneducated, poor, old and probably racist raging against the establishment, globalisation and getting 'left behind'. Yet when I talk to most people I know who voted Brexit, or indeed read what people say on forums like this, those are not the primary or even secondary reasons.

How many times do I have to say this?
IT WAS A SECRET BALLOT, WE DON'T KNOW WHO VOTED YES OR NO.

I'm sure everyone had their reasons but I'll give you an example of one of the (very) few educated processional friends who I know voted Leave. He's in his 40s, has a PhD and is a senior manager in a manufacturing company which exports across Europe. Politically, he has voted for both Conservative and Labour in the last 20 years.

According to all of the demographics, he should be solid Remain but he voted the Leave purely because of the EU Superstate and wanted to go back to a looser association of countries. However, he wants a very soft exit with the UK remaining in the single market and customs union and has no problem with freedom of movement as he sees all of them as a benefit. He says a hard exit would be very bad for his business.

I accept that he does have a point. I was never a fan of the political dimension of the EU but I voted on balance to remain due to the economic uncertainty, a lack of a plan or any consensus on what Leave means.

Some of the 52% like my friend above what a "soft" exit, there are the xenophobic Tories and Kippers who want free market sovereignty above everything and if that means being poorer then so be it then you have Lefty Leavers who want the kind of state intervention in the economy that the EU never allowed.

The problem is that you are never going to get the likes of Gove, Duncan Smith and Fox agreeing with Old Labour voters or the Soft Leavers so we are going to end up with a settlement which the vast majority of people don't like.

So what were the reasons of the people you talked to?

I love the way you try to continually draw a parallel between international capitalistic finance and personal finance.

You put me in mind of Margaret Thatcher.

Classic!

They will also by and large have left their home town in what they see as an attempt to make life better for themselves.

Those involved in the North-South brain drain settling in a new place with better prospects. That will breed empathy rather than resentment for other economic migrants