United Kingdom, a kingdom not united
and Northern Ireland that voted overwhelmingly for the country to continue in the EU. The rest of the country, irrespective of party affiliations voted indisputably for the UK to leave the Brusselsgoverned EU which was turning increasingly opaque, was largely unaccountable and clearly undemocratic.
The UK’s relations with the EU and whether the country should continue to remain in this expanding union is a question that has haunted Britain for several years.
The UK’s vote to leave comes at a time when there are clear noises being made by other European leaders and political groups on whether unelected bureaucrats in Brussels should be allowed to impose laws and rules which are not in the interests of member states. The questions asked is whether they should not wrest decision-making away from highly-paid bureaucrats and take control of their own affairs.
A reason for this is not just the rise of rightist nationalism in Europe but the fact that the reforms that Brussels bureaucrats have promised have rarely happened increasing the Euro-skeptic mood in Europe.
Cameron need not have called this second referendum on Europe as he did two years or so ago. But with rumblings within his own party over Europe and skepticism over Europe gathering momentum Cameron promised a referendum in an attempt to settle inner-party differences.
Whatever might be said in mitigation by some analysts trying to cover up the divisions in the country exposed by this vote, the truth is that the United Kingdom is divided by nations, by class, by education and by region.
Let there be no mistake. This was not just about whether to leave or stay in the EU. This was a referendum used by voters to express their anger at the lowering of living standards, of depressed wages blamed on virtually uncontrollable immigration from the EU which allows free movement of people and the feeling that state institutions and facilities are failing to serve them.
This was a clear and loud public signal that they have had enough of the ruling class messing up their lives, a message that cut across party lines. People voted on the basis of their individual social circumstances and the EU referendum provided an opportunity to convey their message to the ruling elites.
It was a point this column made when Sri Lankan leaders decided to fly in their own politicians to virtually tell the Sri Lanka community to vote to remain. You cannot simply send people who do not live here and do not know the problems of daily existence for them and their families to tell them how to vote.
In the end these Sri Lankan politicians running around lecturing and hectoring turned out to be quite a joke.
It smacked of sheer arrogance to even imagine that the views of these leaders and their admonitions will change how people living here and driven by their own concerns think. And now that the British people have spoken those who tried to influence the Sri Lankan community to follow them blindly, will need to rethink their own position having urged the community to help the UK continue its partnership in the EU.
The Brussels bureaucrats are not without concerns either. Given the changing mood in Europe they must wonder whether the UK’s decision will prove contagious and will spread to other member states demanding of their leaders an opportunity like the UK to express their views on the EU.
It must be admitted that the political establishment has not covered itself with glory during the referendum campaign. British politics has not seen such fractious moments as the main parties were divided within themselves. Now a healing process has to begin to cement those cracks that have appeared between parties and their supporters and the public.
Of course given the constitutional and legal issues involved in UK pulling out, the disintegration is not going to happen overnight. It will take time depending on how the two sides approach this political divorce.
While those issues are being sorted out and negotiated, there is another question that hovers in the air. Will Scotland now think of going for a second referendum seeking independence so that it could join the EU?
At the last referendum on independence Scotland voted to remain with England. But if it goes for another referendum now that the UK has decided to quit the EU would Scottish public opinion change and Scotland opt for independence writing finis to the United Kingdom?
Thursday was Britain’s revolution. There was no blood-letting. But this country will not be same again.