Friday 10 June 2016

Decision Day is getting closer - just 13 days to go.  I have spotted just one window poster so far, urging passers-by to Vote Remain!  Given the seriousness of this referendum, I am slightly surprised that there are not more posters in windows.  Whole streets seem to be plastered with them for weeks before a general election.  Not that the Old Bat or I have ever considered advertising our political affiliations in such a way.  Not that we really have any affiliations; we tend by nature to favour the right rather than the left but not in any fervent way.

I do wonder why people put those posters in their windows - or, in the case of Americans, use bumper stickers on their cars.  Do they really think that a poster saying, 'VOTE JONES' or some such is going to persuade anybody to change the habits of a lifetime and vote Tory instead of Labour?  In my view it simply advertises that a prat lives in that house.

What I do find quite interesting is that people - the hoi polloi rather than the politicians - are quite willing to tell others how they intend to vote in the referendum, and why they hold their views.  yesterday evening, the OB and I went to our local Italian with a friend.  The owner is Iranian, but it's still the best Italian restaurant for miles around.  Anyway, as we were preparing to leave, Ali asked us  which way we propose to vote.  All three of us are ardent Leavers and said so, whereupon the only other couple still in the restaurant exclaimed, "No!  Remain!"  There was no rancour; we all accepted that we simply had different opinions.  Ali then told us that he had posted his vote - to leave.

Apart from that couple last night, I have only heard two people express the view that we should remain in the EU, and Ali said that his customers - who represent pretty much all age ranges - are 60-40 for leaving.

Whichever way the vote goes, methinks we are in for some interesting times politically.

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