Tomorrdow is a big thing. But lots of people I know arent voting as they don’t feel they know enough / are political enough etc. To me, that means there will be a lot of informed people voting (great) as well as a lot of uninformed but arrogant people who think they know everything going to vote. Please dont leave it to them.
Most of the non-voters I know personally are mums. I dont know why. Whether its a females feeling less confident thing or a just too busy thing or dont feel political enough thing I’m not sure.
But as a mum, I am voting. I am voting to remain in Europe. For many reasons but those to do with motherhood I’ve put below.
Motherhood is political. It relies on maternity laws, flexible work, childcare prices, hospital care, contraception legislation, transport (buggy spaces on buses? Play areas in airports? Safe pavements? Bile paths? Kids public toilets? Etc etc).
1. UK is not the best place to be a mum. In many ways but a lot in terms of housing legislation and also planning policy. I have travelled a lot through Germany and Holland and Poland and they are all more child friendly in their planning. From Water fountains to bike paths to play areas in waiting rooms to childrens carriages on trains. Think of IKEA trips compared to Tesco!
2.maternity leave. This helped me a lot. UK maternity leave is not the best in Europe but it is good. It comes from EU membership. I don’t think Britain will sack it off if we leave but we tried not to adopt it before. It has been pushed from the EU. The countries that the conservatives lean towards in terms of their economic ideas and theories, like the US, have absolutely shocking parental leave.
3. Education. My daughter is in her second year of school. Unlike other EU countries, the UK seems not to give a shit about teaching other languages, despite our global economy and a second or third language being one of the best ways to improve life and work opportunities. The only reason she is learning languages us because she has friends who already speak two or three. These 5 year old kids do not intimidate her. They are her friends and teach her an awful lot more than a lot of her lessons. Yet some parents complain about these kids and their families. Get over yourselves. The kids are fine with it and its good for them.
4. The environment. Possible my only goal in life is bow to stay healthy and keep my kiid healthy and for her to live as long and happily as she can. The current UK govt doesnt give two shits about this future as far as I can see. All our environmental policies – from food standards and renewables and reducing the chemicals in our food supplies come from the EU. Yes, it’s bad for business when youre nit allowed to spray as much shit on your crops or have to build fucking wind turbines or fund alternative fuels or not spill factory chemicals into seas. But it is better for my daughters future ability to eat, breathe and live longer.
5. Cheap holidays to Croatia and Spain.
Hollie McNish 