In Focus Commercial Credit


Brexit? What Brexit?


Seeing the current woes over the UK’s departure from the European Union from a different location and persective


Arthur Kaufman Independent writer and speaker arthur35art@hotmail.co.uk


With all the acrimonious talk about Brexit, the world outside the UK might think it is a good place to stay away from. Yet, talk itself is not the only problem,


since the continuing animosity following the now legendary referendum of June 2016, many voters still find it hard, if not impossible, to discuss Brexit in a civilised manner.


Intractable views Instead, too many intractable views have become the disorder of the day, including between MPs, who are supposed to know all about compromising, with the Speaker of the House having to repeatedly bellow “order, order” when the subject of Brexit or the European Union, or anything connected with either is ranted over. It is as though the mother (or is it now, the


‘parent’?) of parliaments has become less of a model for emerging nations to follow. Even so, where I reside in Totley, a small


quiet suburb on the southwest of Sheffield, there is a noticeable lack of heated argument about Brexit and its problem child, uncertainty, despite the continuing after-shocks of the memorable result three years ago, along with the never-ending emission of after-birth orations. If, in fact, the subject of Brexit arises in


Totley, the decibel level is rather low, and nobody bothers to cross the road to avoid those of a different mind. Life goes on as usual, whether in the shops,


the library, the pubs, or even amongst those waiting for a bus, complaining only about it not being on time and not blaming Brexit in any way.


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Endless wrangling This is far different from what I see and hear when in many other parts of the country, where there is endless wrangling between entrenched ‘pro’ and ‘anti’ factions on Brexit, with neither giving an inch either way.


between the “ultra-passionate, and often irrational, pro and anti-Brexiteers”, which showed little, if any, sign of abating. Indeed, given the level of hostility, it seemed necessary to try and lower the temperature. However, I have not yet noticed any


I commented on the arguments between the “ultra-passionate, and often irrational, pro and anti-Brexiteers”, which showed little, if any, sign of abating. Indeed, given the level of hostility, it seemed necessary to try and lower the temperature. However, I have not yet noticed any decline in the amount of heat (nor of ‘hot air’) produced over Brexit, either amongst politicians, those in business, or amongst the public at large


It seems both sides persist in banging


their respective heads against concrete walls and causing themselves to become so concussed that they cannot think clearly about the issues involved, or appreciate the feelings of others holding opposite views. In a previous article (CCRMagazine, May 2017) I commented on the arguments


www.CCRMagazine.com


decline in the amount of heat (nor of ‘hot air’) produced over Brexit, either amongst politicians, those in business, or amongst the public at large; in contrast to what seems a normal carrying on in my bit of South Yorkshire.


Out of step Is Totley really out of step with all that is happening elsewhere over Brexit? Has it been lacking in information constantly spurting from all aspects of the media and the ever-widening outputs of digital gadgetry, not to mention all those nose- looking-down comments about the UK, including from within the EU itself? I think not, so what is the answer? If it is not due to censorship or to lack


of awareness, are Totley and its residents treating Brexit as only a passing phase albeit one with a multi-extended decision date?


A matter of balance After three years of post-referendum observations and some extra effort on the part of my little grey cells, I have finally decided that it all comes down to a matter of balance. By that I mean, balance such as being


just far enough way from the hustle and bustle of a major city centre, but still within close striking distance of the countryside,


October 2019


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