There's no fence, metaphorical or real for you, you'll still be able to go on your holidays to Magaluf and Ayia Napa, there just might be some restrictions on bringing back booze and fags again.

I can't imagine that the slight structural shudders in the economy will affect you terribly so what's is your real concern? Is it an identity issue?

For me it is. I'm a European ahead of being English.

That's the type of condescending attitude that causing the cultural rift. People like Clarke are simply privileging one view over the other but positing that theirs is somehow correct. This sort of attitude is vile and corrosive. In a democracy, it is rule by the people, by the demos, not by rule by some old flaccid fat white bloke.

What do you mean by it?

1. Young people won't easily be able to live/work in Europe/Britain (including young Shard)
2. UK economy will suffer for a decade plus
3. Britain becomes a nastier place, many Europeans already reporting this, and I feel a sense of indirect shame
4. The existing arrangement, though imperfect, is vastly superior in most ways, and is being undone by a narrow slice of clueless citizens (not all the Brexiteers, but the ignorant ones). That smacks of national incompetence.
5. Identity. Absolutely. Much prefer to be a European than a Brit, let alone a Little Englander.

I simply don't get that. It's a kind of reverse condescension to suggest that the low brow interests of the majority are of superior importance.

I think it's perfectly clear.

Like those who believed the result meant they could go around issuing "leave the country" notices and those (the same ones?) tweeting abuse to an American sports reporter mixing her up with someone involved in the recent court ruling about article 50.

You really don't know whether to laugh or be worried.

OK. Let's all go for a Theme Park ride.

In a Parliamentary democracy, it's rule by democratically elected representatives of the people. If the people are fool enough to vote for flaccid fat blokes or similar, then so be it.

I assume you'll be voting for Drumpf?

We fought a civil war over it. Supporters of the royal prerogative lost. They should get over it and move on.

I cede point one.

2. Anybody with a passing interest in economics knows there's absolutely no way to predict the future. We can tell you what happened but but not what's going to happen.

3. A nastier place? You probably need to define this and operationalize this, because I have no idea what you're talking about.

4. A narrow slice? 52% of those who voted with a 72% turn out is hardly a narrow slice.

5. I hypothesize that none of us identify with a single cultural entity. So we value cultural symbols and signs at a local, regional, national and transnational level. Its not, either or. Someone from Orkney may value things that are specific to Orkney, Scotland and Europe. We are all cultural schizophrenics in some way.

I didn't use the term "low brow" and didn't put value judgements on either thing. They're both very different things and serve different purposes.
What I am just saying that upper classes have long their views, practices and interests while denigrating those that are particular to the working class. Parliament chose to consult the people on a very important issue and a majority of people who voted for leaving the European Union, the decision should be respected rather than derided.

The democratic concept as I understand it is founded on the principle that any individual who is a member of a society is entitled to one vote in an election and that the majority voting in a constitutionally authorised referendum will hold sway.

Ideally, the 'brow' interest or status of any voter, whether high or low, should not affect the weight associated with any individual vote.

However.. in the USA, I believe some democratically based election strategies have ensured that US presidents have been elected on a monority vote and it's well understood that there is still a reluctance to allow universal suffrage where the coloured or poor voter is concerned.

Some understand these to be too 'low brow' to vote and thereby negate any interests they may have in favour of the 'high brows', a shameful argument in my view.

Very much so for me too! Well put Novo...thank you!