I’m feeling really sad today thinking about what we’ve lost over the last 5 years. But this is mixed with proud knowledge I, and many around me, did all we could to avert this disaster unfolding. This is a short thread to give a shout out to some of them 1/

First up is @GreenPartyMolly - I’ve already rung her today to say this and more. But she was both astute and persuasive in her tireless work before and after the referendum. I remain proud to have worked for her and supported her.
Second up is @ewgjones - one of the few who threw himself into election mode before the referendum and saw the pragmatic need for a persuasive targeted GreenerIn campaign. Without him @SW_GreenerIN probably wouldn’t have happened (or certainly looked very different)
Third up is my former colleague @aw_bell who pivoted quicker than anyone I knew through the grief of 2016 to try & make the best of the awful situation post referendum. He metaphorically shook me awake when I kinda wanted to hide under a duvet (and I think he did this for many)
Fourth up is Joe Williams - friend who helped set up @Bristol4Europe (who really led the national response post referendum). He was a calculated head in a room who dared to think big when others were panicking.
Next up is @OwenJones84 (who i don’t personally know) who has got a lot of shit off remainers post referendum. But he is perhaps the 1 person who I saw most on the campaign trail making a left wing case to stay in the EU. He did everything he could while the left was apathetic.
Stood next to @OwenJones84 on the campaign trail so often was @CarolineLucas - I can’t put into words how much work she has done on Brexit and how grateful I am. If you haven’t already watch her speech in Parliament yesterday. A leader so often when we need one.
Then there is the force of nature which is @TerryReintke - I’m so grateful how often she made her way to Brexit Island to support us however she could. Always coming here, always supportive and always caring. A friend the UK doesn’t always deserve
I could go on all night - but if you’ve got this far. Tell me you’re memories and who you are proud of. Honestly I want to hear. Tag them here and let’s give them the love and thanks they deserve
And then I just started thinking about the Brexit Bad Boys and how many ours of my life I spent reading about them to help produce https://t.co/d1B33dxikR - which means I need to give tearful shout outs to @carolecadwalla @chrisinsilico @shahmiruk @profcarroll as well. Thank you

More from Brexit

A quote from this excellent piece, neatly summarising a core impact of Brexit.

The Commission’s view, according to several sources, is that Brexit means existing distribution networks and supply chains are now defunct and will have to be replaced by other systems.


Of course, this was never written on the side of a bus. And never acknowledged by government. Everything was meant to be broadly fine apart from the inevitable teething problems.

It was, however, visible from space to balanced observers. You did not have to be a trade specialist to understand that replacing the Single Market with a third country trade arrangement meant the end of many if not all of the complex arrangements optimised for the former.

In the absence of substantive mitigations, the Brexit winners are those who subscribe to some woolly notion of ‘sovereignty’ and those who did not like freedom of movement. The losers are everyone else.

But, of course, that’s not good enough. For understandable reasons Brexit was sold as a benefit not a cost. The trading benefits of freedom would far outweigh the costs. Divergence would benefit all.

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