Laurence Dollimore
ON the day Rose Moore voted to leave the European Union, she never thought it would be the last time she would speak to her son.
But more than three years later, the 63-year-old expat, based in Alicante, has yet to hear from him.
A graphic designer in London, he could not understand his mother’s point of view and has yet to forgive her for playing a part in the UK’s divorce from the union.
While it ‘makes her sad’, the Doncaster mum-of-two does not regret her vote.
“I still stand by my decision, no one has the right to tell me how to vote,” she told the Olive Press this week.
Moore wants to see the bloc dismantled and said the union is ‘nothing more than a loan shark organisation’.
And Brexit has turned her from a lifelong Labour activist to a Conservative supporter, something she said she ‘never thought would happen’.
Moore added that ‘with age comes wisdom’ and while she dislikes the majority of the Tories, she has faith in Boris Johnson securing an ‘11th hour deal’.
Her comments came just before it was revealed today that the UK PM will officially be seeking to prorogue parliament, making a no-deal Brexit virtually impossible to defeat.
“If we go on no deal, the EU will suffer… it may be spread over the poorer countries , but they will feel it.
“The EU talk tough, but EU countries, particularly club med, will have to make deals with us.”
Moore said she is proud to be European but sees the EU as a ‘political dictatorship’.
Her feelings are shared by Steve Dunne, 67, from Yorkshire, who moved permanently to Alicante some eight years ago.
Dunne, who still owns property in the UK, believes the British economy will fair better on WTO terms and wants a no-deal exit – despite the catastrophic forecasts made by a host of experts.
Dunne, who has owned property in Spain since the 1990s, added that the warnings were made ‘for political gain’ and that he will have no qualms in ditching the Tories for the Brexit party if Johnson fails to deliver.
The retiree added that expats who voted Remain mostly did so for ‘selfish reasons’.
“I voted for the good of our nation… I am patriotic English not Spanish, though I do assimilate as much as possible.
“I value the prospect of UK independence.”
While he admitted there could be short-term economic impact, he added: “I think that the Euro could be in danger and we could see a return to the days when Spain was a very cheap place to be.”
Brent Maher, meanwhile, who lives in Catalunya with his partner Tony, also has no regrets in voting to leave and would do it again.
The former RAF engineer, who is now a registered nurse, said he detests the idea of an EU armed forces.
“As ex-armed forces, the idea and push towards a unified European armed forces is repugnant,” he told this paper.
His fear comes despite the fact that any such move could be vetoed by a member of the EU, killing it in its infancy, while the majority of members are strongly against the idea.
Maher also added that he is opposed to the idea of an ‘ever closer union’ and that the UK will be strong without the bloc.
“I am convinced that the UK is mature enough to be able to be a strong nation without having to check with Brussels first,” the 52-year-old said.
“I would prefer to see a deal but the Irish backstop MUST be removed. If they refuse to remove Irish backstop, then leave without a deal.
“There will inevitably be a short term negative impact but I am sure that would be counteracted. “Previous negative predictions have not come to anything.”
Moore, Dunne and Maher said the idea of a new referendum was ‘disgusting’ and a ‘bad idea’ and that they would all fly back to vote Leave again.
The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on October 31.
With age has come wisdom? Or delusion?
As a permanent resident ex pat I would like to keep the medical entitlement that I have paid for over 50 years.
Return sovereignty to the UK? I must have lived in a different UK to you. I was not wealthy and inside the M25
Nail on the head kitkirk, I’d wager none of these doughty patriots rely on a State Pension as their sole income nor can they require the health entitlement of your bog-standard ex-pat.
Fail to see how this disaster for the UK could lead to Spain bcoming “a cheap place to be again”. It’s more likely to remove the possibility of retirement to the sun, for many ordinary people. Those folk who have done so, are already facing roughly, forty or fifty quid a week cut in their income as couples, with worse to come, as the pound plunges.