The United Kingdom leaves the European Union tonight. Us oldies remember the EU as the Common Market which the UK joined in 1973 after years of General de Gaulle saying ‘Non’.

Here in Jersey (Channel Islands) we had no say in the 2016 referendum in which a narrow majority of the UK population voted – unexpectedly – to leave the EU. With only a basic knowledge of the issues involved I too would have voted in favour of leaving. Everything that has happened since has only confirmed that gut instinct.

Of course the arguments on either side didn’t cease on the announcement of the referendum result. There have been repeated calls for a second referendum so that the ‘correct’ result could be achieved, once people had come to their senses and realised the implications of what they had done. Quite rightly (in my view) those calls were batted away. Ireland has a history of repeating referenda in slightly different forms until the desired outcome is achieved. In 2013, Jersey held a referendum concerning electoral reform. The result was ignored. The UK upheld the principle of going to the people.

I think that the issue of immigration perhaps tipped the balance in 2016. There were scare stories at the time that might have had some running for cover. But the UK has always struck a good balance in this regard, better than most jurisdictions. And it will continue to do so outside of the EU.

But my hypothetical vote would have been cast mainly on the concept of sovereignty. The EU has more or less swallowed up the UK in this regard. Even though we have had a seat at the table it is France and Germany who have wielded the power. 900 years of Anglo-French wars and two catastrophic world wars with Germany have never augured well for future accords. But no one seriously thinks that world security and the likes of NATO, will be endangered. Neither will the many cross-border protocols, such as those for the sharing of vital security information. It is in the interests of all parties that they be maintained.

Send a gunboat

Post referendum, much of the concern has been about trade deals, tariffs etc. My inexpert view is that there will indeed be teething problems, hardship, stress for those who trade cross-border. But history has shown that markets sort themselves out pretty quickly, and this will be the case once more.

Interesting how the Scottish nationalists now see a window of opportunity to further their ambition to secede from the UK. A greater concern is the island of Ireland, part in and part out of the EU. How that is handled trade-wise and security-wise will need wise heads.

So, Remainer or Leaver, it’s all done now. I’m an optimist. How about you?

The last six months have been…interesting. Certainly I have no regrets about packing in full-time work when I might have carried on for some years yet. I don’t miss the daily grind – being at one’s desk for 9am, shifting into mental gear and only unwinding at the end of the day. 45 years of accounts and finance is enough. And even though it has given me a living it was still probably a path I wouldn’t choose again. Sure, it’s not coal mining or fighting ISIS, but I’m not sure it was ever my calling.

The first two months were a honeymoon period having been paid a generous bonus. I could afford to do absolutely nothing if I’d wanted. As it was, I stepped in to do a few shifts for a friend at the Channel Islands Military Museum. As Dire Straights put it, ‘That ain’t working, that’s the way to do it.’ And what with continuing my voluntary tour guiding at Mont Orgueil for Jersey Heritage, I was keeping out of mischief.

A great opportunity to kick my running onto a better level, you’d think, but disaster struck. My first-ever running injury after many years. A knee injury which basically put me out of action for months. I feared the worst at my age, it could have been the end of the running malarkey. However, with careful management, it’s much better now. Hopefully I can press on a bit now in the New Year.

There remains the issue of earning a living. The Jersey pension and other benefits might keep one alive, but not much more. I have savings but I’d eat through those quickly enough. So in the New Year, maybe some paid work with Jersey Heritage? A bit of part-time accounts work perhaps. But I’ve started doing a little freelance writing – a little classified ad in the local paper has indicated there might be a local market for that sort of thing. Certainly my diary is filling up nicely, so we’ll see how that goes.

And right now I’m helping out with the Christmas rush at Jersey Post. It’s an eye-opener, seeing what goes on in the beehive behind the scenes. Resources seem continually stretched, methods in some areas are (to my mind) somewhat archaic, but there’s no doubting that the guys and gals all work hard and well and I have great respect for everyone involved at the coal face there.

Finally, my apologies to my blogging friends. I’ve neglected my own blogging, but also the blogs of others. There is a backlog awaiting. It’s no reflection on you guys that I haven’t read, liked or commented on them for many weeks. I’ll try to do better.

Happy Christmas to one and all.