Much discussion in the papers recently, not to mention among the increasingly concerned expat (don't call us 'immigrants' please) community re what happens to us colonial sons and daughters if Boris and his band of bungling brothers get their way and we Bexit stage left later this year.
It's a tricky Euroquestion: one the one hand, the EU hasn't quite turned out to be utopia, except maybe for advocates of free trade (that's free as in 'free from pesky obstacles like health and safety, environmental regulation, labour rights, etc. etc.'). The swift squashing of the Greek experiment in democracy proved that the powers that be just aren't prepared to risk anybody taking the red pill. There is an argument that individual countries could put their houses in order much more easily if they cast off their Euroshackles. On the other, in the case of the UK Europe is probably the only thing holding Cameron and Co back from a wholesale return to feudalism.
I must admit I'd pay good money to see the look on Cameron's snout when he realises there's a price to pay for his successful annexing of the UKIP floater with referendum promises (I suppose this is at least one promise he actually kept). On the other, those of us living in Europe have for decades enjoyed privileged status, being not only EU residents but British passport holders too. No door or border is closed to us. Got sick? Just go to the doctors. Reached retirement without enough credits in either country? No problem! Step this way and claim your amalgamated pittance.
So what happens if that all ends? Nobody seems to have considered it. A case of putting the Eurocart before the Eurohorse? Or maybe the Tories assume we can all just up sticks and move ("What do you mean you can't just weight anchor? You don't have a yacht?!"). More importantly for us honorary Catalans, what happens if Catalunya gets independence? Will we suddenly become non-EU residents living in a non-EU country? Does they somehow cancel each other out, or is it more of a double whammy?
Should we stay or should we go now?
