Brexit

And the Dutch and the Czech Republic are also considering a referendum as a prelude to their exit.

Britain out, Ethiopia in.

Jared wrote: We'd be absolutely mad to consider leaving...

Really? Why?

I have not finally made my mind up yet. I must say, though, that the "debate" and, especially, the stance of the stay in camp, leaves me absolutely cold. The scare and fear tactics utilised have shown politics in this country at their very worst. I would not be a bit surprised if our esteemed Secretary of State for Heath issued a warning in coming weeks that voting to leave the EU increases your chances of getting cancer by at least 75% Pathetic and a disgrace, really.

I am not Welsh by birth, but have lived here for over 16 years. I have been a member of Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Nationalists, for a few years now, and am one of the rare people in the party who tend towards a Eurosceptic stance. Actually, the party's position on Europe does not make much sense intellectually. It strikes me as being rather strange to object to an unaccountable, bureaucratic, distant government ruling us from Whitehall (I agree), but then, in the same breath, to want to be ruled from an even more unaccountable, bureaucratic, and distant government in Brussels. Utter nonsense, really, and an issue which may well tip me into leaving the party.

The EU, as with most centralised monsters, is in an utter mess. Is UK government any better? Nope. Full of incompetent morons who seem to have very little sense of how to adapt to a rather scary world, and who seem hellbent themselves on creating a centralised state which the likes of Foot and Benn could only really dream of.

As I commented in the US election thread, there is a very real and understandable attitude amongst ordinary people that government is not delivering and working for them. This is extremely important, and a growing sense of discontent might, I hope, lead to real change.

My grandmother was Maltese, and I qualify for a passport there. We go there on holiday annually, so I am, in fact, very well disposed towards the continent. I am also extremely mindful of the fact that this experiment commenced with a very real and positive wish to put the horrors of two world wars and genocidal acts behind us, and, in that sense, it has been a roaring success.

It is, though, utterly in hock to global corporations. It is shockingly run, and disgracefully unaccountable. It is a centralised monstrosity delivering bugger all to the majority of people living in it, with economic, political, and social issues really not giving anyone a sense that it can be turned around. I certainly do not see any real will to change - witness the pathetic reception Cameron received with that renegotiation which was, in all reality, an utter piss take, both of him, and us.

I suspect that the British people will, in the end, vote to remain, to keep both the status quo, and because of the ridiculous scaremongering going on. It will not, though, be with anything approaching enthusiasm, and the time when the impact of political drift comes knocking on our doors will not, I fear, be a pleasant one.

So. Mad to think about leaving? No, not at all. In fact, it is perfectly rational.

We'd be absolutely mad to consider leaving...