[starry]

Originally Posted by Livia

If people had been allowed to voice their concerns about immigration before, without everyone to the left of centre accusing them of racism and xenophobia, maybe the picture would have been different. The danger with ignoring people's concerns is that those concerns grow into problems.

And really, I'm tired of the suggestion that we are a ridiculously racist country when we are not. I hope this is a lesson learned. You have to listen to people because if you keep them down by calling them names, it just blows the situation out of all proportion.

I think some people just want more control of their own country rather than just some unelected German and French EU commissioners threatening us from abroad.

The fact is this country is split and has been for some time. The electoral system ignores that and disenfranchises people, but a referendum actually gives people a voice.

I think there is a great deal of scaremongering and some people seem to want things to go bad just because things didn't go their way. The way to address things properly is to listen to people, treat everyone with respect whether they are on the same side or not, and move forward. But with the dictatorial way the country has been run getting governing politicians to accept a more consensus approach won't be easy.