In or Out part 2

So now we have it. It’ll be on June 23rd – the referendum I mean…and we still get to cast a vote for 15 years after leaving the UK albeit the “right” has to be renewed each year and there are more forms to fill in to get a postal/proxy or whatever, system set up. No matter. We don’t get a vote in Spain beyond local, town hall, elections so there is a symbolism there as well.

Many, to whom I’ve spoken, automatically think that an ex-pat will vote for staying in Europe – after all, we “benefit”, on the face of it, from much of what the European Union is all about. But do we? There have been Brits living in Spain for many years, just as there are many other nationalities nowadays doing so and some, like the Norwegians seem to have no sanctions applied to their residence. But Spain has always kept a tight rein on what benefits it offers non-citizens (which make one wonder just why the UK is seemingly, so generous, when it’s not a requirement of belonging to the EU club?) It’s a trifle difficult to imagine that anything really nasty would befall us Brits in the event of a brexit and, if it did, would it be an unsurmountable problem? Probably not.

What we do have, of course, is a direct, first-hand, take on what the EU means for Spain and the other less wealthy members of that club. We see – and it hasn’t really changed since 2009 – an unemployment rate of 25%, with youth unemployment nearer 50% and with those figures exceeded in Andalucia where most Brits choose to live. These are Greek levels. The lack of social unrest at this continuing and unacceptable state of affairs is more down to the maintenance of the family unit that you find on the mediterranean’s fringes, rather than to any progress to reverse the situation that the government is making.

We also see, because there’s so much incoming grant money, the waste and corruption that accompanies “free” money doled out from Brussels. You’ve only got to read some of my past blogs for examples of this. And it still goes on. The Spanish press is always reporting on some scandal or other and whilst not always involving Brussels, is an indication of the culture that prevails and that has to be traversed by those in charge of the EU’s coffers.

 

So, come 23rd June, I will have a great deal of soul-searching to do.

 

But I may just focus on the possible break-up of the UK if we exit…..and THAT would be a disaster.

 

Oh! it’s also likely that in June -probably the Sunday after the UK referendum – Spain will have another national general election to try and resolve the stalemate that still exists following the inconclusive one last year. Don’t you just love European politics eh?