Sure they can treat you like that

A popular view amongst Brexiteers and Remainers alike is the following: “that the EU is not respecting the UK and they are trying to punish us for leaving and we are strong and we shall prevail at the end”. Brexiteers say that with their usual attitude against anything to do with the EU but also those who voted Remain, now see the implacable position of the EU towards the UK and are taking a patriotic stance and tend to agree with the Brexit because at the end of the day “they can’t treat us like that”. I am Greek. I know they can treat you like that. I’ve witnessed it first hand.

I can totally see where both opinions are coming from. But what the hell did you expect to happen? If the EU took it easy with the UK then what’s stopping other countries saying fuck off to the EU and just leaving? No one says that the EU project works as expected but it’s the best chance Europe has for peace and prosperity. And UK can change it from within and not behaving like a grumpy old man reminiscing of good old days gone by (centuries ago). Of course they can treat you like that and they will. They will not give you what you want and they will wait until the very last minute to reach a deal which -better believe it- will work more for them than it will for you. That’s a fact. And in the end UK will say thank you. Because it’s a losing game against a superpower. However strong you might think you are, the European Union is richer, stronger and more resilient. They can live without you but you can’t live without them. So suck it up and deal with it. Or don’t. Don’t make a deal and suffer the consequences. I know what will happen. I’ve seen it from Greece. No matter how strong you think your economy is, remember the crisis in 2008 began due to the housing bubble in the US. The bubble in the UK is far bigger and more dangerous and the first to break.  And it’s a chain reaction after that. Brexit hasn’t happened yet and we still face the consequences. But for the Chancellor of the Exchequer ‘the end of austerity is here’. What the fuck? Really? I mustn’t have gotten the memo then cause reality suggests otherwise.

Brexit will happen but the best chance we all have is to be the softest Brexit possible. The Tories have no chance of delivering something more and my guess is an extension of the transition period, general election and the Labour -somehow- forming a government and then the British ‘Tsipras‘ to get a soft Brexit and start destroying the economy in other ways. Or maybe the wise people will vote for Britain First and UKIP because that’s where the world is going (see Brazil, USA, Sweden, et al.), to the fascistic bigoted populist far right.

I really hope I’m wrong. I really hope Brexit is the best thing that ever happened to this country. But these bloody experts think otherwise. But why listen to them anyway? The public knows best. People know best. No matter how ill-informed or biased or uneducated, they know best.