When Did Anarchy in the UK Become Apathy in the UK

Brexit. Leave Means Leave. You Lost - Suck It Up Buttercup.

I've been raging against the rabid Brexiteers, the clever ones in parliament and those behind them pulling the strings or the those easily fooled of low education (so often qualified with 1st class honours from the University of Life, almost always proudly sporting a poppy or a Union Jack or St George's cross on their Facebook profile). But it is Eurovision 2021 that convinces me the fight is a lost cause (not that I intend t go quietly).

The UK did not do well (we English do like our understatement). Out of 4,524 Eurovision points awarded we took 0. Zero, Zilch, Nada Nil Points. I argued that whilst I did not think the UK's entry was winning material, since Eurovision has always been something of a political grandstand, nil Points surely had in part, to reflect that the rest of Europe is not seeing the UK in a favourable light post Brexit?

What dismayed me more than anything, was that pro remainers so often seemed to want to excuse the poor Eurovision results solely on the quality of the song. There seems a lack of any concern, pain or anguish on how the rest of the world might perceive the UK (or at least England). It seems to be an exercise in shoulder shrugging.

The truth is, and probably always has been. England is really just not that European. It's not that fussed. The arguments from the Leave camp, but so much more sadly, the arguments from remainers, have mostly been about what we can get from the EU (or give up by leaving) and never about what we can bring to the EU.

Why is this? Perhaps there are several reasons. Even prior to the EU, mainland Europeans have lived more cheek-by-jowl existence with only land borders and so there was probably more movement and mixing. And familiarity breeds acceptance even more than it breeds contempt. Being an island perhaps afforded us less frequent up close and personal contact with our European neighbours.

But also during our 47-year membership, no UK political party ever made a significant effort to inform the country what it was that we had joined. Nothing! As lacklustre a performance in EU participation as our performance in Eurovision 2021.

This is the way it has always been. And I am gutted to say, I now expect that this is the way it will always be. The remainers, in the main, are just not passionate enough, at least not passionate about being European. For remainers affected by Brexit, those of us that want to enjoy the benefits of Freedom of Movement for work, love or retirement, and for those of us that run businesses that trade directly with EU countries, it was something to be easily passionate about.  But we are the very ones who the rest of the country consider to be the liberal elite. But many more of that well-to-do, well-educated liberal elite, without Brexit directly impinging on their lives, are only indignant about it in a very quiet English mustn't grumble sort of a way.

Brexit will not destroy the UK though it may be a catalyst for significant change including Scottish independence and the reunification of Ireland. England will not die, though I suspect a program of erasing EU law from our statute will all play into the hands of the extremely wealthy. (Freeports, undermining of the fishing and farming communities with the trashing farming food and human rights legislation and so on). I don't think the UK is pursuing a policy of prosperity for all, just prosperity for the already filthy rich. But the real cost of Brexit will be social and cultural.

I fear I see the nascent signs of that change, chillingly in the shoulder-shrugging "it was a poor song" and "Let's pull out of the Eurovision anyway" comments from remainers without any concern that Europeans may have sent us a message. I am not sure they are listening. I do not think they are that fussed. That also doesn't bode well for UK citizens standing shoulder to shoulder with voiceless EU citizens in the UK who contribute so much but did not get a say in the Brexit referendum. And that to me is not really being European.

If Anarchy in the UK was the song for 1977, 2021's song is going to be Apathy in the UK.