A Response To The Dramatic EU Referendum Vote To Leave The European Union

A personal view from our Founder and Chairman Brian Chernett.

Prior to the actual vote and having read and listened to many hours of this unique debate I decided that I would vote remain. I expressed my view wherever I went, finding a huge amount of support and was therefore surprised with the result.

My reasoning for deciding to vote REMAIN was a reluctant one in part as I, like many, disliked the way the commission operated. Viewed as undemocratic, accounts not audited and perceivably high costs the EU was arguably paralysed in many ways by a lack of good leadership.

Also, upsettingly, our ministers and media on both sides were promoting fear predictions which were exaggerations or tactics playing on the side of the shock factor which was drowning out the real views of experts and institutions which argued more rationally why we should remain.

We have done well as a country, better than most other members states in the EU, and have one of the highest levels of employment and benefit strongly from EU grants and investments all over the UK, not just in London.

To vote LEAVE was a major risk as we had no real information about what would happen if we did. It was guesswork and the promotors were either lying or being incredibly economical with the truths of what a leave may well do to our economy and world standing.

I therefore took the view that we were better to stay and work to reform the EU commission.

The result clearly showed that the leadership of our government, opposition parties and the EU in general is poor and the vote now leaves us with enormous challenges.

The period of uncertainty which will prevent serious decision making will go on for a minimum of two to three years which will have an effect on employment, earnings, investment and day to day business in general. The fractious state of both our main political parties and the process of rebuilding our political landscape is going to take time and may exasperate the world movement towards nationalism seen by the growing support for Le Pen, Donald Trump and Nigel Farage.

What Great Britain now needs is a new level of leadership and the creation of partnerships that share a vision and deliver this, not just with the EU but globally, with shared values and behaviours.

I am optimistic that we can create new opportunities through new partnerships providing the changes meet the needs of the people and therefore we need to be positive and recognise that as a democracy which has one of the world’s largest economies we will overcome the challenges by being creative and innovative and we must ensure that our leadership will flourish.

In our charity world the unsettled period will be tough and the need for our services even greater. We need to set an example of positivity and be forward looking. ella’s stated purpose could not be more relevant than in the time we now find ourselves:

TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE LEADERSHIP FLOURISHES

The Charity Sector has the power to expose greed, empower empathy, develop positive purpose, increase social enterprise, promote transparency, accountability and develop that environment where Leadership will flourish.

Everyone at ella is up for that challenge.

With love

Brian Chernett