Post-Brexit: A Call for a Brighter Tomorrow

Our nation stands on the precipice. Last week’s vote forever changed the landscape of our country. No matter whether you voted Leave or Remain, the past few days have made it clear: the people of Britain were duped into voting for a future nobody had a plan for.

Let’s come up with our own, shall we?

I am a firm believer in taking advantage of the hand you’re dealt. In this post, I set down a few basic ideas for a post-Brexit Britain built on hope and progress, not fear.

I make no claims to being an expert on anything. All I want to do is start a conversation: even if you don’t agree with all of these ideas or think they’re a self-indulgent fantasy, I hope you’ll be inspired to break out of this quagmire of negativity and start thinking about the future again.

Point 1: The Economy

Throughout the campaign, politicians tried to warn voters about the consequences Brexit would have on the economy. However, it seems this didn’t resonate enough. London may be surprised, but I’m not. Why?

Travel to areas like the Black Country and you’ll see why:

No matter what the FTSE 100 or our GDP figures say, local people don’t feel it. We look around and we still see failing infrastructure, boarded-up businesses and dole queues. When George Osborne tells us the economy is doing well, we don’t see the benefits.

In order to avoid future upsets, we need to connect people to the economy. I propose a weekly or monthly stipend to all British citizens, but the amount will not be fixed — the figure will be linked to the growth of the UK economy. Every eligible voter would have a stake in Britain’s prosperity, which will promote efforts towards growth.

Politicians could no longer obfuscate the facts with complex language or false promises and hope nobody will notice. The people will have an incentive to hold their leaders to account and vote responsibly.

Point 2: Employment

With free movement restricted, the UK could find itself with less unskilled labour to take up manual jobs. The Services Industry could also be hit quite badly by a successful Brexit. A return to a manufacturing economy is on the cards, but not as we know it.

When it comes to manufacturing, companies are attracted to China and South-East Asia because of low costs — poverty wages which the UK would not be able to compete with no matter how many zero-hours contracts are drafted. Unless, that is, we make use of new technologies such as automation.

Automation could bring costs down and increase capacity enough to attract international businesses and boost UK exports. This is a necessary step: automation technology exists and will be the wave of the future, spurred on by businesses looking to minimise costs and maximise profit. At least this way the UK can get a headstart.

However, we would have to say goodbye to the unattainable dream of full employment. We would move instead to a society that promotes entrepreneurship, invention and community improvement over the old “job for life”.

Point 3: Scientific Progress

The UK must become a hotbed for scientific development and new technologies. In the field of energy, green and nuclear are essential for long-term prosperity and energy independence (environmental arguments aside, fracking is a short-term solution).

The prospects for this are promising: Germany recently met almost 100% of demand using clean energy and Portugal generated so much it had a surplus.

The UK should continue on with plans to establish its own space agency and build the proposed spaceport at Newquay. Space will be the next major world arena for resources and defence, and Britain needs to establish itself here or face becoming irrelevant as a world power.

We should also develop a strong emphasis on new technologies, aiming to become a world leader much like 1980s Japan. This will be done through skilled immigration of engineers and scientists and financial incentives for homegrown STEM graduates.

Although actually I think we should promote STEAM — the integration of the Arts into Science, Maths and Engineering education — in order to facilitate the kind of creative thinking Britain will need.

Point 4: Immigration

Immigration is a hot-button issue, and public anxiety has already fed an uprising of destructive nationalism. However, this isn’t the way to go.

Even discarding moral arguments about racial hatred and political oppression, history shows that right-wing populism simply isn’t a stable or sustainable way to run a country: Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini’s Italy and even Franco’s Spain (which outlasted the others) didn’t last beyond the deaths of their leaders. A future built on racial hatred and paranoia just won’t work.

In order to address racism and the disconnect between different communities, we need to promote co-operation and understanding between people. This should happen alongside a general cultural shift towards higher community involvement; fear and irrationality happens when people spend more time with their TVs than their neighbours.

Large scale economic immigration is a major challenge facing the world’s wealthier nations as the global wealth gap widens, but it will not be tackled with walls and rhetoric. Instead, we need to address things at the source. The developing world doesn’t need handouts, it needs skills, education and investment.

The UK should establish relationships with countries with the highest proportion of economic migrants, offering skills exchanges, equipment and access to UK investors to entrepreneurs so these economies can help themselves. Not only will Britain build up its international influence in a post-EU world, but desperate young people will be less likely to leave their own country on often perilous journeys if they can still see a future at home.

The End Game

Britain will rise out of the hysteria and instability gripping the nation at present. It will re-engage with its citizens and its citizens will re-engage with each other.

The UK will become a world leader when it comes to technology, investment, space exploration and social good. Instead of isolating ourselves in an attempt to become the Little England of the past, we will lead by example as a progressive nation of the future.

But for now, the only goal is for the British people to snap out of post-Referendum madness and start dreaming of a brighter tomorrow again.