As is her want on election nights and as it turns out referenda nights, Mrs O woke me in the smallish hours padding back into the bedroom from her work-room. I was already semi-alert on account of the dawn chorus. That is something I never fail to marvel at, after a storm or the end of the gloaming the natural world just springs into life. Anyway, there was electricity in the air but not like the thunderstorms of yesterday so I was was up also, and feeling glum at the emerging news .

I am utterly devastated by the result of this vote. I am hugely impressed by regions with historically high levels of diverse populations voting to remain in the EU, Liverpool, Leeds, London, Manchester, Bristol, Norwich, The M11 and M4 corridors plus Scotland & Northern Ireland to name a few. What of the bread basket of England though, those rich fertile lands mainly owned by people who have siphoned off a steady income through the Common Agricultural policy?

I am of the mindset though that recent political history in this country has caused people to vote with their frustration at the long period of imposed austerity rather than what is good for a united Europe. This is just my opinion that is all. I thought long and hard over 40 years ago to vote in and I think I have benefited from more of the positives about being a European than belonging to a small isolationist post-empire offshore island nation.

What is interesting is the turnout despite the incredibly bad weather yesterday. I do wonder at how much closer it could have been if certain parts of the East and South East were not under water. I doubt we can blame Europe for that. I for one would like to see some indication of the age demographic that voted. I have not too much to lose unless of course this pumps up Putin as although I am still working, I have surfed the ups and downs of volatile economies since 1973 and generally been the better for it.

All I can see now is a state of uncertainty for younger generations faced with poor working hours and conditions (if they get a job), massive debts if they dare to opt for Higher Education, and  a period of destabilisation and indeed ostracism from those left in what I now see as a crumbling EU by our exit.

I am one of the lucky ones, very lucky ones. I do not see the diverse population of Ipswich as a threat to my existence, I see it more as a cosmopolitan opportunity but then I grew up in what was one of the most famous or indeed infamous ports in the UK. I am proud of the fact that Liverpool voted to remain. I had thought that the richness of the openness of the people of this area of Suffolk might embrace the same notion. How wrong was I. That leaves me wondering at who actually bothered to vote. Was it really the grey and thin haired lot that inflicted this critical wound? I have heard and seen some comments where the attitude to voting is that it makes no difference. Well I think I can assure those naysayers that this vote will make a huge difference and already has.

It will start at the top. We will lose a PM who gambled our collective future on his own political ambitions. Much as I won’t be sorry to see him and a few others leave Downing Street, I am scared of the possible non-elected replacements. Will the same diffident electorate bother to vote in the next General Election and try to control their real sovereign destiny? Brussels in my view was a social conscience that could act to curb the excessiveness of this government, but the people have spoken now and we are left with a broken system of general elections that will perpetuate these self-fulfilling oligarchies.

Over 40 years of intertwined UK and EU law will now go into the wash to be undone by principally, parliamentary counsel so at least we are certain that the legal profession will be bouncing all the way to the bank. But what of our European lecturers who have enriched our learning at Universities around this small island? Will they fall below the arbitrary income thresholds set by current and prospective millionaire leaders to control migrant workers? What then ‘Voting makes no difference’?

Yes, I am gutted.