Murat, this sadly was a protest vote, most of the UK are actually pro Europe, there once was a battle cry of "no taxation without representation" this one could have been something similar, many of my countrymen feel we are being invaded, there are nearly 900,000 Poles living in the UK as we speak about 1/60 of the population,all arriving in the last few years, when 900,000 Germans moved in to Poland World war two started the ballot box is a more civilized way of doing things.

A Pole may argue that in summer 1940 they played an important part in the skys over Kent in defending this country and do work unlike many of the locals!
However, I do wonder why certain Europeans are allowed to sell the 'Big issue' to classify as workers? Unfortunately older Britains (including my age group) still spent too much time looking back at the 'good old days' through rose tinted glasses rather than looking forward.

hi, i'm italian and i guess that every country in eu feels like invaded by immigrants, taxed more than necessary, overloaded with boureaucracy and so on.
we all just have to decide if keep alive this ghost called eu or get back to our little gardens.
it seems to me that eu was ment to help each others.
maybe it was too soon for extending club gold card to so many new members, many of those, maybe, need more help than they can offer.
after all it's a matter of equilibrium.
we simply didn't get all that help we expected.
or... maybe we are just getting through hard times, that will end sooner or later and things will reverse to normality.
of course we can't really think to close the door to the rest of the world, we live of treaties, agreements, compromises... maybe we just should have to make better rules and compromises.
i admit i feel i little betrayed, when things get hard you choose to quit...
i feel frightened too, things i thought to be sure are no more and everything can happens from now.
one thing is sure, uk teached us all an other lesson in democracy, people can really decide the destiny of his country.
it means that, after all, democracies are still true and the people is really free.
in italy, i think, that a referendum about such an important issue is really not possible!
ok, the brits gave us the "wake up", it's time to change for better, don't know how, but we have to do it and do it now, i still believe that togheter is better and that the world is globalizing, but we'll do what is necessary.

Giorgio,

Look at that from different prospective:



Back then it also seemed to be weird, didn't it? Who ended up in the wrong after all ?

Dear Strelets,
it's really hard to judge, i only can reply with the worlds of an European Founding Father:
“There is a remedy which ... would in a few years make all Europe ... free and ... happy. It is to re-create the European family, or as much of it as we can, and to provide it with a structure under which it can dwell in peace, in safety and in freedom. We must build a kind of United States of Europe.”
(Speech to the academic youth’ held at the University of Zurich in 1946, Sir Winston Churchill).
Maybe we need such an autoritative personality today.

IHMO Britain is right. Freedom first! The European bureaucreazy is patronizing the people more and more. They don't tackle important problems but rather develope new regulations for light bulbs, plastic bags or the diameter of a toilet lid. No surprise if they will restrict buying 'dangerous' and political incorrect toys like plastic soldiers to adults one day...

On the other hand billions of Euros are transferred in short time, if banks or governments have a 'problem'. Whithout really informing or asking the people (and tax payers). But if one asks about money for healthcare systems, education, road building, sustainable energy production, fast internet access even on the countryside - all you get is: 'Sorry, all money is spent...'

Of course, there will be interesting questions in the future. If Scotland will remain in the EU - without becoming independent - will English goods delivered to Scotland (as usual) be charged with tax and duty then, because they cross the EU-Border? If not - will English companies start local branches in Scotland for shipping to the continent, because that still would be regarded as trade/shipment within the EU...

Perhaps it's prophetic that on this day, June 24, 1314, the Scottish army under Robert the Bruce defeated the much larger English army of Edward the Second at Bannockburn ,near Stirling, and paved the way for our independence. I regard myself as a Scot and a European and would sincerely hope we can remain within the wider European "family", with all its faults and bureaucratic excesses. It needs reform, but you can't reform if you're no longer a member state. As they say, you have to be in it to win it. Here's hoping..