#EUreferendum Brexit and the Glastonbury Festival (an analogy)

I am writing this with my wonderful daughter and husband and fantastic grand children in mind. They are rather despondent about the Brexit vote because they have a sense it is fundamentally about racism and all because they are worried about their economic future. This worries and shocks me because I have been and am a pro Brexit advocate and am genuinely delighted and relieved about the referendum outcome as (as I see it) it will be the best outcome for our society and therefore my dear family going forward. This is the only thing that motivates me. I believe Brexit is the best outcome for the futures of all our young people, for our wider society and for the generations to come so I would just like to attempt to explain why again as we are now in post referendum mode and it is real.

My daughter loves the Glastonbury Festival and I have just been. It occurred to me that I may be able to use Glastonbury as a loose analogy to serve as both an explanation and justification for the Brexit vote and to reassure for the future - to believe in the future - to buy into it - to be part of building something wonderful.

So here is the analogy - made all the more topical by the man behind Glastonbury Michael Eavis singing his rendition of Sinatra's My Way with Coldplay to conclude this years festival.

Michael Eavis started the Glastonbury Festival on his family farm over 40 years ago. He has used his initiative, vision , determination and good human principles to build Glastonbury into what it is today. The Glastonbury Festival is unique, it has evolved, people have bought into it, festival goers have helped shape it, build tradition and establish and protect its character and ethos. It is a national treasure - of which people are proud. My daughter Victoria is one of those people. She loves Glastonbury. She feels part of its development. She talks about it with so much passion ans warmth. She will support it when ever she can. To do so Michael Eavis has had to plan every festival very carefully. Numbers and tickets have had to be controlled, enough toilets, water supply, car parking and tented areas have had to be provided. Rules and regulations have had to be introduced by Mr Eavis to reflect the particular needs and local problems at Glastonbury. At the same time Glasto is not over burdened with signs and rules and directives. It is a relaxed inclusive place and despite the numbers everyone can chill and enjoy what is on offer.

Now just imagine Glasto had gone another way. Mr Eavis had joined a group formed out of  other music festivals - lets say 27 other festivals. He joined the group to promote music and help with publicity. However over the years this festival group started to take on a life of its own. It started issuing rules and regulations standardising all festivals - the type of seating, the volume of the music, how much artists could be paid, what size tents could be used, what Glasto and everyone else have to offer it it rains. Suddenly Mr Eavis can no longer shape his own festival, he has to follow rules that offer Glasto festival goers no benefit. The Glasto festival starts to lose its identity - its special character - it begins to lose its energy - it begins to lose its place in peoples hearts - it is no longer of them - it is undemocratic - it is being run by anonymous people - who they did not elect - cannot influence but charges them lots of money.

Then incredibly they said there MUST be a right of free movement of people (but only certain types of people) around any festival - one ticket covers all. If thousands of extra people turn up at Glasto Mr Eavis will just have to cope. But he says how do I know how many toilets I need, what about car parking, what about tent space, what about water supply. And I don't have the room for more - people are going to be crammed in. HOW CAN I PLAN? Well you can't but you will just have to let everyone in even if the infrastructure is taken beyond breaking point and the quality of peoples festival experience diminishes and your customers become disillusioned.

This my analogy. Glastonbury is a small version of the UK. Glastonbury needs to be able to plan. It needs to be able to employ the people it needs with the skills required. It needs to be able make its own rules and own regulations to reflect its own local and particular requirements. It is of limited size so festival goer numbers have to be sensibly controlled and by building a unique character and creating tradition and familiarity its audience will likely have the wonderful feeling of stakeholder involvement under which so much can be achieved (like having fun in the mud where in other places there would be uproar and turmoil).

We love Glastonbury and anyone can go to Glastonbury. There is no restrictions on age, gender, sexuality or religion. You can wear what you like, dress like you want, eat what you like, drink what you like, listen to the music you want in this fantastic melting pot referred to as Glastonbury. The ONLY requirement is you have a ticket and show consideration and respect for your fellow festival goers. With Brexit and the return of control and democracy which should follow and with the ability to plan properly again  I am confident the divisions in our society can be healed and that we can steadfastly build a country which is inclusive and decent and secure for all our peoples. We need to learn to love our country again, to be proud of it and to understand what we are and where we are going for everyones better future.

And then - perhaps all countries will follow our lead. Be local. Be democratic. Build inclusively and from a strong and secure base be a force for good in the world. This can be our future and our destiny again.

#Glastonbury2016 how it was for me

I have just got back from my first Glastonbury. Here are some personal thoughts. (Just quickly a bit of context - I love music but am not hard core - I am an experienced camper - and while I have never been to Glasto before I have been to The Isle of Wight Festival many times.)

Like many people I have always wanted to go to Glastonbury not least because I don't think I have ever met anyone who has been and not said it is anything other than special and of course the TV coverage has been/is comprehensive. However because of demand - and the system by which tickets are now sold (to prevent touting and resale of tickets - a fantastic thing) it is not easy to get a ticket and requires some pre planning and good luck.

Anyway to keep a long story short - 6 blokes - old school friends - all around the 60 mark - travelled together early Wednesday morning from Exeter. Our vehicle was stuffed with amongst other things - an 8 man tent - and three boxes (60 litres) of farmhouse cider. Two of my mates were Glastonbury hardcore and taking us "virgins" a bit like teachers on a school trip - ha!

Every now and again Glasto (despite it is held in our "summer") has a muddy year. This year was to be a muddy year. In fact festival organisers had put out requests to delay travelling because difficult conditions on site had made access to carparks tricky and delays were predicted. They were right. Our journey from Exeter should have taken less than 2 hours - it took over 8 in the end.

The journey though was the first taste of the Glasto spirit. Nobody moaned much. People got out of the vehicles and chatted. People watching was fantastic. Anticipation was high. Now and again we left the vehicle and walked on to the next pub and had a beer. It was all a laugh and eventually we get there. Now the only grim bit. The vast majority use tents. There is the gear needed for 5 nights under canvas - including wet weather gear - and booze of course. Many are well prepared. Trollies - sack trucks - you need them but what a struggle it was for most - the mud and the consequent slippiness a bummer. It is a toil. It is only Wednesday - effectively a day early at least - but the site looks full. We have a good idea where we want to be as there are many field options. Avoid being too close to toilets, or main thoroughfares or at the bottom of slopes. A big physical effort is needed from everyone. Bag searches seemed nominal. There is no restrictions about what you can bring in - except for glass. There are points of access around the site and camp sites dotted around and in. Most camp sites require a considerable walk and I think there is a trade off between how far you walk in to camp and how close or otherwise you end up to the main music stages. (I strongly recommend you have someone with you that has been before or that you have done some prior research and come with a plan. If you turn up blind so to speak the scale could be quite disorientating). We get to our spot by 7pm - tent up and installed by 9. All is good. The effort is in the past. Now some chilling.

So now the meat - the Glasto experience !

My overwhelming thought is indeed it is a special place. I have been a big supporter of the Isle Wight festival - a huge well run main stream festival but it is puny and one dimensional compared to the massive musical and cultural melting pot that is Glastonbury. Glastonbury is truly enormous in the geographical area it covers and of course this can necessitate a lot of walking if you choose to make a (vain) attempt to take it all in. But what makes Glasto feel so incredible is it is small and intimate at the same time. It is divided in areas or fields (our favourite was Avalon Field) plus the big stage areas - some outside - some under cover like the Acoustic tent. There is something for everyone - large stages, top acts around every corner - and the main stages while massive - over 100000 for ELO and probably more for Adele and Coldplay are comfortable in their size - it was not a scrum - acoustics and volume fantastic and access in my experience, easier than expected because people come to the stadium from multi routes rather than funneling in from one or two. And the people are wonderful. Not once in the 5 days we were there did I witness any negative behaviour. People are thoughtful, polite, chilled, talkative, open - non threatening and non threatened - excited - happy - and the mud by and large a non issue - just made walking a bit harder. Of course Glasto attracts all types of people - there is no norm - but they all buy into the ethos and it is uplifting, thought provoking and hope creating that so many can rub along together in harmony and at peace (sorry if that seems a bit corny but actually that is how it is). To be fair the IOW Festival is like this this too in the main but it is the scale and the variety and the surprising intimacy of Glastonbury that is standout. It is not exaggerating to say I have fallen in love with the place - I want to go again - a feeling shared by all of us -  and evidently we only scratched the surface and I think that is all you will ever do at Glastonbury.

Here are a few other thoughts in no particular order :

• While Glasto is a commercial enterprise I assume, it does not feel like it. Bring your own booze and food. Go where you like, sit where you want - no restrictions. There are masses of excellent food and drink outlets - something for everyone. You do not feel you are being squeezed or bled dry as a captive audience.
• Hygeine. As far as I know - no viable showers generally available. Plenty of toilets - all on a sustainable - non chemical format. Some would struggle because of the smell but to be honest it was a non issue. Wet wipes essential.
• The Glasto ethos is not to drop litter and this works well in the main. They also strongly discourage blokes having a pee wherever they like - ha!
• There are countless stages so choosing who to see is an issue. Clearly you cannot see everyone although some people jump from one stage to another to catch bits of acts. That was not our approach - just chill - enjoy who you see - catch the ones you don't another time. One thing you can be sure of - any performer at Glasto is going to give their appearance 100% of commitment - it is special for them too. It is often a fantastic emotional experience - the performer and the audience overwhelmed by being at the epi centre of music festivals - part of the great tradition built up over many many years. Brilliant.
• Sleep - like a log. Earplugs and pee bottle - say no more - ha! More seriously you have got to look after yourself. Dry feet and clothes - plenty of water - some half decent food and yes some sleep worked for me. What you look like - not too important - ha!

My personal highlights this year :

• Main arena - Pyramid - the mumbling ZZ Top, ELO - their back catalogue, Adele and her banter, Coldplay (Mr Eavis singing My Way) all wonderful shows. I really enjoyed Tame Impala and Jess Glynne too.
• Others - James and Squeeze brought back great memories and the wonderful Ralph McTell - the crazy Hobo Jones and Junkyard Dogs and the multi talented Keston Cobblers Club!

Finally what a great place to be with my old mates - two of whom I have known for 55 years. It was so funny. Such a brilliant laugh - just so great. And it was special to meet up with my youngest son Richard - dancing (ok clapping) along to ZZ Top and ELO - bands pretty much unknown to him before Glasto.

The last thing I want to say relates to the EU referendum. I was strongly pro exit and very happy the vote went that way. However it never occurred to me that so many people would feel very despondent about the shock decision to leave. Let me assure all those young people especially that this has nothing to do with racism or anti immigrants or a little England mentality or baby boomers looking after themselves. It is only about that the UK is just Glasto on an even bigger scale. It has to be managed - control has to be exercised - numbers are limited to cope - planning is key. Michael Eavis has steadfastly built Glastonbury up to what it is now. It works brilliantly - you feel free there - it works - we all buy into it - it is humane - but as he said in his heartfelt rendition of My Way - it has been a challenge but he had the vision and he did his way. The British people have to do it our way. Being told what to do by Brussels is not the way because they are not us. Long live Glastonbury and our democracy xxxxx

Here are a few pictures of us :-

Blimey our tent looks quite luxurious

Steve and Pete waiting for the "girls" to get ready!

Kev

Crabbers

Me

Pete

Rog etc

Don't ask!

Going back 55 years - 186 years worth (omg!)

Early morning for Sqeeze

Trust Crabbers

Rich feeling a bit uncomfortable!

Ok - some mud!

Knackered so set up camp early

Rog not keen on modern sculpture ("a pile of crap") despite my enthusiasm

It did rain!

Me and Rich

Coldplay

A dog came into a bar!

#EUreferendum I have voted LEAVE - why?

It is done. I needed a postal vote as I will be at the Glastonbury Festival on 23rd June. I have completed and posted it. I have voted to LEAVE the EU. I was always going to do so - it was never in doubt.

Why did I vote leave?

My decision is a rounded one. I have no reservations. I will list the principal ones but first the stand out one.

THE STANDOUT REASON

• To uphold our democracy that was wonderfully built, fought for and preserved for us by our ancestors often at great personal cost. It is a legacy we have enjoyed. It is a legacy that has allowed us to flourish. The strength off our democracy - our parliamentary system - has been universally admired around the world. It has been a beacon of hope. We have helped establish democracy in many countries and where people now live free. (India, Australia, NZ come to mind to name but a few.) It is something that we should handover to the next generation intact - indeed strengthened - to our children and grandchildren. But we having been giving it away - it has been watered down - we can no longer call ourselves truly free. The majority of our laws are now made elsewhere - our courts and our parliament are no longer supreme - we cannot control who can come to this country and why - and worst of all we can no longer remove those that rule over us - they are unelected - jobs for life - unaccountable eurocrats and bureaucrats. This is obscene and spineless set against what our forbears stood for for us. We should be ashamed that we have been so cavalier with our hard won democracy. We should be ashamed that we are giving away something that we are only actually temporary custodians of. We have no moral right to shackle future generations to an unelected, self serving, undemocratic political union. (particularly as it is dubiously justified as for economic advantage - money.) We need to reestablish who we are and what we stand for - this will be healthy for our national self esteem. Currently we are a nervous increasingly undefined euro blob.

SOME OTHER GOOD REASONS

• Well there are the good economic reasons - I believe the EU as a project is dying and we will do better unshackled and free to do our own deals with the world. I believe we will be able to because we are the 5th largest economy in the world and an enormous market to be able to sell into. There will be some short term risks in leaving for sure but I have no doubt there are just as many remaining in the EU and definitely greater long-term economic risks in staying because the EU project is a badly constructed model. If it is to survive it will need greater political integration - a federalisation of Europe and that is a horrible prospect. I actually believe if we leave the EU other countries will take our lead and follow as the self serving EU is not working.
• On trade deals I see this as simple logic. We are a massive market. We make good things. We are world leaders in services. If people want to sell to us which they will then then we will be able to sell to them. If people want to buy from us we will be able to sell to them. There will be winners and losers but markets are dominant - not politicians and of course we will have far more customers to go at globally rather than being totally hamstrung by the EU negotiators having to do it for us. We can and will be optimistic about the prospects for the future.
• I believe immigration numbers are totally out of control and therefore we cannot plan. This is having a dramatic effect on OUR community. For quality of life reasons we must be able to plan and to decide who we want here and why. As the EU is intransigent on this issue we have to leave and introduce out own points based system. This is logical and reasonable.
• By leaving the EU it does not follow we cannot travel, work and cooperate with other countries for the common good. Remain keep saying we need to be in the EU to fight climate change - for our security. Of course we can and will still engage on these issues. Many of them we already take a lead on anyway. On big security we are in NATO. In other matters we are in the G7 and G20.
• Remain say better to stay in the EU to fight - to shape and influence it. We have seen what is possible. Cameron's renegotiation! The EU is unreformable. We are a voice on the edge. There are 27 other countries - the majority of which are net beneficiaries who want things to stay the same. Poland wants our money. French farmers benefit massively from CAP. The French government are scared of them. They are not going to agree to anything that reduces what they can take from us. It is obvious.
• Finally a comment on the EXPERTS arguing remain. My thoughts - "experts" are often wrong. Too often they suffer from "group speak" - follow the pack - make the same assumptions. There are many vested interests. Many are risk averse. I have no difficulty in accepting there is a increased risk of some economic disruption in the short term. They might be right that growth will slow in the short term - but I do not think they can and have taken into account what the ingenious British people are capable of. We can stand on our own two feet with pride and decency and go forward into the world with confidence.

There is much more I could write - but this should be enough to please vote LEAVE - for a confident and truly democratic future for you and future generations.

#Marathon - "monkey on my back" - PT2

In my blog 17th June #Marathon Monkeyonmyback PT1 - I explained the why I am going to have a go at running a marathon again - my first ever marathon.

(My background - just turned 62 and pretty fit for my age (touchwood) - exercise regularly - did a half marathon about 18 months ago in 2 1/2 hrs and haven't done much running since.)

First week in - I have done 5 short runs of about two miles each. I prefer early mornings to get them in the bank for the day. They have gone well - I can do it but I am slow. What else can I say. I finish stronger than I start - I could go further easily. I have enjoyed it. My mind is clear and purposeful. It is so motivating to have a target or a goal - but of course time is the test.

My strategy is to gradually ease myself in - get used to running - I have plenty of time to build up to Paris in April 2017. It is a marathon run - but more pointedly - a marathon in dogged training required.

One thought I had while running this morning. Yesterday my son George helped me lift the rudder off my boat - so I can check it out. We carried it up the pontoon. It started off quite easy to lift but of course the longer you go the heavier and the more difficult the weight becomes to bear. I stand at 14stone 7lbs this morning -  all beef and muscle - ha ha!! I start thinking about the extra energy required to carry every excess pound around a 26 mile marathon course that will take 5 hours plus to complete. I am sure by running regularly my body shape will change somewhat. I am not going to diet as such - but losing a stone or even half a stone would have a massive effect and I am further encouraged by that thought. It does make you think about the burden obese people are putting on their bodies and how big a limiter it must be on playing out their daily lives.

#Marathon "monkeyonmyback" PT1

I am writing this short blog as a confessional - and as a motivator too.

In the late 70's - early 80's marathon running took off as a mass participation activity. The first London Marathon was in 1981. Like millions of others over the years I am sure, I thought I would like to face the marathon challenge - to run over 26 miles - and I was sure I would at some point. Every year when the London Marathon comes around I have felt a sense of respect for the runners and increasingly frustration with myself as I had not got around to doing one.

The problem with running a marathon apart from the very obvious one - the run itself - is the training commitment - at least 6 months worth of hard miles - probably running 30 plus miles per week - week in - week out. Long distance running is of course draining and very difficult to combine with doing other activities - it becomes all consuming by demand is my experience. While I have run lots of half marathons over the years - it has never come easy - (my build is stocky - hardly pared down - ha!) I have found it impossible to fit the necessary marathon  training in as I have maintained other interests more important to me - initially football and then for the last 30 years - squash. Marathon training drains your stamina - blunts any speed you might have - it takes it out of you and for many actually changes body shape - not good if you want to play decent squash for instance.

Anyway - I said at the outset of this blog this was a confessional - so here goes. While everything I have said in the last paragraph is true - 18 months or so ago I decided the time was right (now or never) to finally have a go at a marathon. I enrolled in the 2015 Paris Marathon and started training for it. See my blogs 13.4 mile plod 7/10/14 and Great West Run (22/10/14). The Great West Half Marathon was a struggle - these are my own words from the blog I wrote on its completion -

"My mind quickly turned to the April 15 Paris Marathon. Ridiculous to feel a marathon would require another lap of the same. To be honest that seems impossible - and I initially decide to be sensible and rule it out.

However a couple of days have passed. I feel good (touch wood). I have entered in the Paris Marathon. I have said to myself I will do it. Am I going to bottle it. Am I going to give up the immense emotional feeling that will get if I cross the finishing line on the Champs Ely-sees. How can I ? So that's it. 6 months to prepare to run 26 miles. Terrifying !"

And here is the confessional - in the end I DID BOTTLE IT - I did give up the training - I made excuses to myself about damaging my knees - argued with myself I have nothing to prove - don't be a fool - what is the point etc etc. My family agreed with this objective decision too - it made sense. But ever since a part of me knows I gave up - it was a relief initially - but then it became an irritant - if not quite a running sore. I knew I had let myself down and that I will never have that dreamed about sense of achievement of running up the Champs Elysees or The Mall to a marathon finish. Pathetic.

Last month I went for an interview to secure a place on the 2017/18 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race ( I am doing Leg 6 - to cross the Pacific from the East Coast of China - to West Coast of USA - but I digress). During part of the presentation the Clipper spokesman said to us - "for instance anyone of you could run a marathon - it just comes down to how much you want to do it - how much you are prepared to put in". I know this. This was true - but very confronting to hear him say it. I hadn't been prepared to put enough in. Millions of people have. I chickened out. The monkey is on my back. I have to get it off. I have enrolled for the Paris Marathon - April 2017. I have started some short runs. This time my mind is clear. It is just one foot in front of the other. I walked 26 miles last month - I now just have to jog it. Stuff the time - not important really - my goal is complete the marathon course - with no stops or walks. That is my focus and it feels a relief. Happy days especially if you have a masochistic tendency - ha!

#EUreferendum the "fish" analogy

David Cameron said the other day a reason to remain in the EU was because he "wanted the UK to remain a big fish in a big pond".

So dwelling on that my reply is this :

1. The EU pond is getting shallower and shallower and stagnating. The euro and trying to pretend all the 28 countries have the same market needs is ridiculous.  It is not working. The EU is failing. There is incredible levels of youth employment in the south - huge debt problems unresolved and a policy of free movement of labour that is causing imbalance and tensions all across Europe. As a political experiment the water is draining out.
2. The EU pond is being clogged up by knotweed. The EU is not only shamefully undemocratic and bureaucratic but it suffers from megalomania. It wants an army - it wants federalisation to make EU countries even more subservient to the Brussels machine and the Germans and French behind it. Its costs are incredible - its excesses disgusting. The gravy train and the noses in the trough has to end. Our country needs to be freed up from all this nonsense - to be able to swim freely again.
3. It is a biological fact - the bigger the pond the bigger the fish. Our development as an outward looking nation is being stunted by membership of the EU. We cannot do our own trade deals - the EU has to do it for us. It is not working. There is a massive pond out there called the global ocean. We used to swim in it. We need to get back to it because that is where the other big fish are. We can swim with them again. We can shoal with them again. We can grow healthier - bigger - we can get our mojo back - sling off the EU net that is holding us in and stopping us from being free and engaging with the world.
4. Too many fishers are trying to scramble onto our island. Our little Island that we used to be so proud of is being over run by migrants jumping off their own Island's because they see easy rich pickings here. Unless we get it under control our Island will be raped and spoilt for ever. We won't know who or what we are. This is our big chance before the net is closed for a generation or more.

VOTE LEAVE and be free again.

#EUreferendum Little England or achieve "control" and engage with the world.

A lazy analysis of the Brexit (out) campaign is they are against immigration or even worse closet racists. This is wrong. Brexit are not "little Englanders" who want to pull up the drawbridge.

Brexit is seeking your vote because they want to be able to CONTROL immigration - which is a completely different thing and entirely honourable, objective and logical.

This is how I see it :

• Access to the EU market is conditional on accepting free movement of labour.
• The EU is the only trading block in the world where free movement of labour is a condition of trade. It is an experiment. Evidently it is not working. Evidently the numbers are having a negative impact on many communities.
• Why is it not working. It is not working because we cannot plan. We have no control on the numbers that come in from the EU and there is every prospect of thousands and thousands more if we stay in the EU. This is putting unacceptable pressure on communities, housing, social services, school places and the NHS. It is also undermining wage rates - particularly at the lower end - because there is an over supply of certain types of labour and we have people in this country who cannot get jobs. 
• It is also not working because the government in attempts to control immigration overall (as pledged because of pressure of numbers) have had to make it more difficult for people from outside the EU to come here as we cannot control the massive (and mainly unskilled) numbers from the EU. Consequently we are making it harder or turning away skilled people - Indian doctors or South African scientists or Philipino nurses.
• Brexit argue what we need is an Australian type points based system - where we choose the people we want, in the numbers we want to fill the skill shortages we have available. It is just not true Brexit is anti migration or racist. It is just commonsense that we should be able to plan and control who is coming in and why.

So finally can we put this argument to bed. It goes like this. Without migrants we might have more hospital beds available but there will be not enough people to look after patients because there are currently 50000 migrants working in the NHS. This is the Stay position. It is how they try to justify uncontrolled migration from the EU. The reality of the Brexit position is - if we need additional people to work in the NHS in the future - we can bring them in from anywhere in the world as part of a controlled points based scheme. So there is no logic or credibility in the STAY campaign arguing Brexit would mean our services would fall apart. All it means is we would have control and have a fair system - a fair system for all citizens of the world that want to come here - rather than an unqualified uncontrolled right to just EU migrants.

#EUreferendum for young people

Last night I watched a young people EU debate. Of course young people are optimistic and compassionate - they should be.

What emerged from the debate seemed to be 5 important points :-

• While at first the audience wanted to look outwards to Europe rather than be little Englanders the argument was succinctly made that the EU is in fact fortress Europe - and makes it difficult/impossible for Africa and countries globally to engage with us through trade by putting up barriers to protect French farmers etc. The audience clapped vigorously when the penny dropped that voting out would give us the chance to be "global" citizens again rather than self serving EU members.
• On migration it is ended up being better understood that if we are in the EU we have to make it much harder for non EU migrants to come here from sheer weight of numbers. By voting leave we can devise an immigration policy that is fair to all citizens in the world (and not biased to EU citizens) - and will give the UK the opportunity to manage numbers and take people in based on what they can offer relative to what we need or based on compassion.
• Project fear from the remain campaign - argues the opportunity to travel will be badly affected. This is nonsense of course. Tourism is very important to all countries and the British Passport is held in very high regard. Even if visas are required in some instances they will be easy to come by.
• Democracy. While this was not particularly high on the young peoples agenda when they started to consider the arguments it was evident that they understood freedom comes from being able to make your own laws and change your government periodically if you do not like the laws they have made. In the EU we cannot do that - and an ever more federalised EU will diminish our democracy even further. When you really think about it (and not take democracy for granted) this is a key issue for the future. Democracy is hard won and many vested interests will grab it from you if they can.
• There are short term risks to trade by leaving - but there are just as many risks by staying and tying ourselves with the EU project. The EU is in an economic mess - with massive debt and unemployment issues in the south. While we have some opt outs as part of the club we will have practical liabilities. Europe is the only continent not growing. In the medium term our futures will be much more secure trading beyond Europe.

If  I was a young person I would vote leave - definitely.

#MuhammadAli at his engaging best

For those of you too young to remember Ali - and perhaps wondering this weekend what all the fuss is about - have a look at this one to one with Frost. Ali in his prime and at his complex best.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00nxzvw/the-frost-interview-muhammad-ali

#MuhammadAli and our Enry and Enry's ammer

The media is plastered with tributes and articles about the life of the most magnificent Muhammad Ali. What can I add - I want to say something. Like just about everyone else in the world I felt/feel love for him. How can that be? Can I describe why? I think it has to do with respect and admiration for the incredible warrior he was - but hugely to do with his humility, his natural intelligence,  his mesmerising personality, his fantastic sense of humour and tongue in cheek showmanship and most of all the warmth as a human being he took with him wherever he was. He was a great man and like so many others I followed his career and life with joy and a touch of despair for the toll his boxing career eventually took on his super human body - but fortunately despite the debilitating Parkinsons that got hold of him in later years he retained all the wit and warmth and intelligence that made just a few mumbling words from him so special and endearing.

This is the memory of Muhammad Ali I want to share (although there are so many). June 1963. I am awaken late by my dad's radio in my parents bedroom next to mine. I go in. Dad is listening to the Cassius Clay v Henry Cooper fight. I sat on the bed and listen too.

I cannot describe it. It was one of the fights of the century. Our Enry - not a big man by modern day heavyweight standards - famous for his fantastic left hook - Enry's Ammer (he was a Londoner - a Cockney). Henry with his tissue paper skin was much older than the sensational young Olympic champion - to be Muhammad Ali.

Here is a link to the fight - but focus on the pre and post interviews. Ali's joke at the weigh in - teasing Enry about a bit of excess around his girth and Enry laughing - and the respect after the fight. The fight itself Enry's Ammer knocks down Ali at the end of the 4th. Angelo Dundee - the torn glove - the long count - Henry overwhelmed by Ali in the 5th and the horrible cut. A real fight.

That is another wonderful this about Ali - all his opponents - how ever much Ali wound them up before and during the fights - ended up loving him too. What a human being. What a man.

The link to the interviews:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=cooper+ali+fight&&view=detail&mid=C9E5798E0906A0EF3515C9E5798E0906A0EF3515&rvsmid=C9E5798E0906A0EF3515C9E5798E0906A0EF3515&fsscr=0&FORM=VDMCNL

The link to the fight:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=cooper+ali+fight&&view=detail&mid=5FE8C67FBE00316B92C55FE8C67FBE00316B92C5&rvsmid=C9E5798E0906A0EF3515C9E5798E0906A0EF3515&fsscr=0&FORM=VDQVAP

#EUreferendum migrants. So who has contributed - are we really all the same?

A cornerstone of the EU of course is the free market and the free movement of labour. The practical effect of this is we are all "EU citizens" - legally you cannot differentiate between the rights of a Welsh or Scottish or English or N Irish family who have lived in the UK all their lives (your own citizens) and some one who has moved here from any one of the other 27 EU countries and has lived and worked in the UK for a month (or a week).

Literally in every debate on the referendum someone will trot out migrants contribute - they come here to work, pay their taxes and help grow the economy - they make us all wealthier.

So who has contributed - are we really all the same?

FAMILY ONE (Smith)

• Great granddad fought in the first world war, worked as a miner for 30 years and walked in the Jarrow March . Great grandma was a suffragette.
• Grandad never missed a days work in his life as a ship builder and granny was a nurse. They both went through the second world war and granddad did national service.
• Their children have carried the work ethic forward. One has worked in a car factory all his life the other got to university and through hard work became a teacher. They have all been involved in their community - PTA, local football team and carnival committees. None have ever been in trouble with the law. 
• Their children are trying to make their way in the world. Two have served building apprenticeships and one is a nurse (working in A&E and knows first hand how over run it is) but all are still living at home as they cannot afford a place of their own.
• The family are aware it is increasingly harder to get GP appointments and their local schools are full. They have been on the social housing waiting list for several years now.

FAMILY TWO (Kovac)

• This Romanian family of mother and father and 5 children moved to the UK 3 months ago.
• They cannot speak English.
• Father has a crime record including street violence - both parents have drink related issues.
• Father gets a job at a car wash on minimum wage.
• Mother works 16 hours as a cleaner.
• Therefore they are working and contributing  minimum NI payments and possibly a small amount of tax.
• Consequently they are entitled to the full range of in work benefits including child benefit, tax credits and housing benefit. (they fully understand this and cash in immediately).
• They all sign up at the local GP.
• The kids all sign up for places at the local school.
• They get free dentistry, eye checks and access to the NHS immediately.
• As our system is needs based rather than contribution based and as the EU rules do not allow the UK to favour its own citizens the Kovaks immediately jump ahead of the Smith children when it comes to the allocation of social housing.
• The family are disruptive in the neighbourhood (police have been to domestics) - but they are delighted to be here and pass the good news on to their extended family back in Romania - so they are planning to come to the UK too.

But according to the STAY campaign this is all OK - family two are "contributing" and making us "wealthier". I appreciate I have drawn extreme comparisons - but are they really that extreme?

We have totally uncontrolled migration to this country. There is a massive question mark over the "migrants contribute" argument. Even if they do taking all the in work benefits to which they are immediately entitled - their contribution in time terms is nothing compared to the generational contribution of family one - the Smith's - but under the law this is illegal to take into account in any way.

This is a sick situation - totally inequitable - demotivating and unsustainable.

If you want the UK to be a defined country (rather than one with no functioning borders with the other 27 EU countries) that looks after its own citizens first - then you have to vote OUT. Surely we are not going to let this highly damaging nonsense continue any longer (as part of a discredited and broken political concept now known as the EU).

#Glastonbury age is mainly in the mind (he hopes) - ha!

In less than 3 weeks I go to my first Glastonbury. I am going with 5 other guys - 2 I have known for more than 55 years - right back to primary school. The others I have known for probably 40 years. Unbelievably we are sharing a six man tent - arrive early Wednesday morning - leave sometime on the following Monday.

For practical reasons I couldn't attend the pre expedition meeting so I was sent the very helpful list below by my mate Crabbers. (as Shackleton leading an expedition to the Antarctic) I thought I would share it with you. There are several stand out items - wet wipes and toilet paper of course, comfort bottle to wee in (6 old blokes in a small tent - careful aim ), some tea bags and biscuits (for an early morning cuppa) and 60 litres of cider! (well - I suppose it is only 20 pints of warm gut rot each!) - and of course some socks and pants (I might have forgotten those!)

The final line ups have been published. Many of the bands I have seen before on the IOW - most of the artists I don't know - so I am going to work through You Tube and take advice from my daughter and youngest son. Ones immediately on my list are Editors (S listen to Munich) , ZZ Top, ELO, Foals, Tame Impala and Underworld and of course Cold Play (they might be a bit cheesy for some but I have seen them twice before and they have been great). I have tried to like Muse but continually struggle despite their high reputation.

Anyway all good stuff - I know it will be a massive laugh - bop around to you drop - who cares - I really don't.