Grey Wednesday

Today Mrs May will trigger Article 50, to start the negotiations for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union . I think we may well look back and regard today, perhaps not as "Black Wednesday" (No one has died) - but "Grey Wednesday" - a day on which our country took a wrong turning which brings years of gloom - as we turn our backs on the opportunities that we are now to deny ourselves. We may lose the United Kingdom itself; many jobs; many futures - and impoverish ourselves.

The omens are not good. This was a decision based on assertions of false facts; of promises cynically made - when the makers knew they would never deliver them. It was pushed and funded by the adherents of an ideology which runs counter to the best of British values.

I'm sure that I will not convince anyone to change their mind today. But I would urge all people who care about our future to start thinking seriously about how we restore our fortunes if any of the fears are realised.

If you think we are going down the wrong road - GET INVOLVED. Be part of the decision making processes in our democracy. You don't need to aim to be Theresa May's successor! We need thinking parish councillors; district councillors; county councillors; school governors; leaflet deliverers; social media activists; people who will help their neighbours deal with poor decisions - at whatever level taken - as well as MPs. We need adults who can and will tell children how democracy is supposed to function.

Learn about how our institutions work - and how decisions are made. Visit Parliament; attend a committee meeting or Full Council of your local council. Teach your children and your neighbours about the privileges and duties of citizenship.

[Ten years ago I started my first blog. It was about the workings of the institutions of democracy - and I have used it to assist my students of Constitutional Law; EU Law; British, American & European Politics. Please feel free to visit it - and use the search engine if you want to find out about some aspect or practice of politics and government - It can be found at http://washminster.blogspot.co.uk]