In what can only be called a fit of madness generally reserved for inbred English royalty, over 17 million Brits “shit where they ate” yesterday in a vote to leave the European Union. Essentially, those that enjoy living in constant rain and wax nostalgic about their lives in the coal mine have just thrown 60 million people’s toys out of the pram.
The UK’s exit and the British passport
While the average “leave” voter doesn’t leave the UK much and will only have to live with their xenophobic, racist “decision” for about 10-15 years, the staunchest “remain” voter will have decades to wonder what the hell just happened. I’ve not a heard a single convincing argument from an economist of any merit for the exit. Indeed, it’s likely a vote that will haunt the United Kingdom for generations, the UK’s economy and future has essentially purchased land to build their “dream home” on land that sits directly above the San Andreas fault line.
I could surely list hundreds of reasons why this is this vote is the acme of folly but why bother when I have quotes like this:
“I said this was going to happen, and I think that it’s a great thing.” Continuing, this great thinker said, “Basically they took back their country,”
“People want to take their country back, they want to have independence in a sense, and you see it with Europe, all over Europe, and you’re going to have more than just, in my opinion, more than just what happened last night. You’re going to have many other cases where people want to take their borders back, they want to take their monetary (what the hell is that?) back, they want to take a lot of things back, they want to be able to have a country again.”
Surely, those must be quotes from Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party? NO, DONALD TRUMP (And he made these remarks in Scotland, which overwhelmingly voted to remain!!)
It should be noted that Donald Trump also demonstrated his unfitness for the presidency again today. In the same speech, he celebrated the decline of the pound (the currency of the United States’ staunchest ally) as it will bring more money to his Scottish golf course, Turnberry.
After my digression, The UK passport
David Cameron, who has announced his plans to resign today, will surely not be be the first European leader to activate Article 50, which will start the clock on the British exit from the European Union. That will fall to his successor, following the first ever activation of Article 50, the UK and European Union will have two years to finalize what is sure to be a contentious divorce.
This can be extended if all 28 EU countries can unanimously agree to extra time. So, the divorce needs to be cleared up in under two years.
Until that divorce is final, Brits will still have European Union on the top line of the front page of their passports. You’ll likely be fine with your passport until the separation is final, but if your passport expires before that happens, you’ll likely see your passport replaced with no mention of the European Union which nearly 52% of the (voting) population just opted out of yesterday.
How about your Ehic card?
The European Health Insurance Card (Ehic), which gives traveling Brits state-provided emergency medical treatment in the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) countries Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland as well as whatever Switzerland is should be held on to as it will continue to offer these services during the divorce.
Following that, it won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on unfortunately.
It’s likely, that after Europe and many Brits work out their anger, that Britain will sign reciprocity arrangements with individual countries for the continuation of medical services, but after yesterday’s vote I’m tempted to temper “likely.”
Here’s the fun bit, you f**king morons, following the separation you may need a visa to visit continental Europe. Worst case scenario? A visa for each country.
Now, when the vitriol dies down and Europe realizes that most traveling Brits voted to remain in the EU, it’s quite possible that Britain and the EU will work out a continuation of the free movement agreement, but there are no guarantees. On the other side of the coin, Brits may need a visa to visit the house they own “lock stock” in the south of Spain, which was purchased 25 years ago, though that would be nothing short of an act of Spanish madness given the state of its economy.
What about your ability to drive in the EU? Who knows, that’s the last of your problems but don’t expect hiring (renting) a car to get any easier. Unfortunately for the UK, this process is essentially irreversible. You haven’t lost your largest trading partner, but you’ll still be subject to EU regulations on your wares. Your standing in Europe as a financial center is gone and they are dancing in the streets of Frankfurt today. Well, they are dancing in the streets as much as Donald Trump’s claims that Muslims were dancing in the streets of New Jersey following the 9/11 attacks. I mean they are Germans during banking hours, there was no dancing.
KEEP CALM AND…..NOPE, YOU LOST THE PLOT.
