I come to this thread very late and obviously haven't read the 110 pages, but will not allow my lack of research or knowledge to inhibit my posting.
I voted leave.
Naturally I have been branded as a rascist, racist, bigot, little Englander &.c.
But I wish to clarify my position. I feel no nationalism. I am not proud too be British, I am grateful, I acknowledge my luck, but I cannot feel pride in something I made no contribution to. I feel that Britain is the best place in the world to live. For that reason I understand and welcome that people might want to move here.
But I have beef with the EU as an organisation. I think it started out as an idealistic, Socialist utopian vision. But over the past forty years we have seen it develop into something else. Like the precious goldilocks, centre ground of Western politics, the EU has become the prevail of a Corporate control. It is run for the benefit of the elite. Secret trade deals, legislation influenced by and sustaining big business interests. The term 'gravy train' is a bye word for a culture of greed and corruption found in thee EU.
I know that our own government is not perfect. But it has a level of accountability which the EU does not. MPs have surgeries, they respond to letters and emails and if they don't you have avenues of redress. Not so with Brussels. Which is the direction my thoughts head towards. The vision of the EU is a political one. The debate in the UK is pragmatic, how much? How many? That kind of discussion. But in Europe thee discussion is different. It is about a European project, of political union, of a federal Europe.
But I feel that the larger the government, the less direct accountability there is to the individual. I recall the horror shown by US senators when viewing BBCs Question Time. They found it unimaginable that senior politicians would be face to face with us, the great unwashed.
So when given the option to leave what is known to be corrupt, what is becoming less accountable and increasingly manipulated by the greedy, i said yes.
I hope our cousins on the continent join us and we can redesign things for our mutual benefit. Perhaps be able to show more compassion for the needy and less tolerance for the crooked.