Month: May 2016

A pro-Brexit Briton in Western Austria speaks out

In the short or long term a Brexit will have no effect on where I live. I think a lot of the UK will see a “Yes” vote as a missed opportunity.

One of the comments made by the first pro-Brexit Briton in Austria to answer a set of questions was that there is a big difference between the situation in Vienna compared with Austria as a whole – particularly with regard to the level of integration that a foreigner needs. I was very pleased that my blog had reached a Briton in Western Austria, who was very keen to talk about her experiences – in particular to highlight how different life can be outside the largest city or capital.

Continue reading “A pro-Brexit Briton in Western Austria speaks out”

What can we learn from the Austrian Presidential election

A wafer-thin margin in favour of Bremain will not mean the end of the issue – and than after another General Election, there is likely to be another referendum held on the issue of the UK’s EU membership.

One of the very valid concerns that I registered from the previous post hearing the views of a pro-Brexit Briton in Vienna was the concern that a close result will not put the issue of Britain’s EU membership beyond incontrovertible doubt. The poster made the very valid point that a wafer-thin margin in favour of Bremain will not mean the end of the issue – and than after another General Election, there is likely to be another referendum held on the issue of the UK’s EU membership. Continue reading “What can we learn from the Austrian Presidential election”

Feelings of a pro-Brexit Briton in Vienna

A Brexit will result in the unravelling of the EU as we know it today and result in, at the very least, a tremendous amount of reform. A Bremain could see the UK as a very dysfunctional EU member depending on the margin of victory.

In my last post I set a list of questions that I wanted to ask pro-Brexit Britons in Austria. Below are the first responses – from a long-term Briton in Vienna (who would appear to have been living in Austria for a similar period as I have). Continue reading “Feelings of a pro-Brexit Briton in Vienna”

Finding out how pro-Brexit Britons in Austria feel…

To date my blog has been dominated by pro-Bremain content – but of course this is only part of the story – there are Britons in Austria (and elsewhere in Europe) who favour a Brexit.

To date my blog has been dominated by pro-Bremain content – but of course this is only part of the story – there are Britons in Austria (and elsewhere in Europe) who favour a Brexit. Aside from vociferous forum/facebook trolls (trolling in general, not in particular in relation to the Brexit debate), in the interests of trying to understand how people’s opinions differ – or how personal circumstances shape their position, as well as to get away from merely expressing and “broadcasting” my opinion, I will be posting the views of some Britons in Austria, who identify themselves as favouring a Brexit.

Continue reading “Finding out how pro-Brexit Britons in Austria feel…”

Is this the “Boris moment” I’d been expecting to materialise?

I woke up this morning and read about Boris Johnson comparing the aims of the EU to those of Adolf Hitler. From someone who sincerely hopes that the referendum will see the UK remaining in the EU, I have spent the last few weeks following the opinion polls and soaking up the coverage in the media, as the campaigning for remaining in/leaving the EU have begun in earnest. Continue reading “Is this the “Boris moment” I’d been expecting to materialise?”

FM4 Radio Interview

On Friday I did a brief interview with FM4, the state-owned alternative music station that also has some programming in English.

FM4 Sign at the Funkhaus
FM4 Sign at the Funkhaus

On Friday I did a brief interview with FM4, the state-owned alternative music station that also has some programming in English.

Chris Cummins, who presents the Reality Check show, is another long-term Briton in Europe and he asked me some questions about how a Brexit might affect me as a Briton in Europe. He’ll be sent to cover the Referendum from London for the station in June.

The interview can be listened to online on FM4’s Website until 20 May at: fm4.orf.at/player/20160513/RC/134008

Martin Wolf – busting the scare tactics

UK Membership of the European Union is likened to being akin to shovelling crisp fifty pound notes into the furnace in Brussels every week.

A piece by Martin Wolf in the Irish Times recently came to my attention – not least because it takes ten very common perceptions being quoted about leaving the EU, and debunks them. Continue reading “Martin Wolf – busting the scare tactics”