As a 68-year-old pensioner, I would like to make an apology to the younger generation for the 60% of my generation who voted to leave the European Union. (I voted to remain.) In my younger days, I was lucky enough to travel and work in other countries. It was a wonderful experience that broadens the mind and makes you a more tolerant and less insular person.
Some of us may only have to live with the consequences for five years or so. The younger generation may have decades to live with it. All the possible restrictions on living and working in Europe that may come into force when article 50 is invoked is something our children and grandchildren will have to deal with, not us.
Robert Frayne
Gloucester
As a 67-year-old man with no educational qualifications who voted for Leave from a leftist perspective, I deeply resent being identified as one of those who is supposed to have brought the country to its knees and destroyed the future of Britain’s young people.
I was 24 when we joined the old Common Market and so who better placed than me or my fellow “oldies” to judge on whether it has served our country well or not over the lifetime of our membership?
And as only a third of 18-24 year olds could be bothered to vote at all on 23 June,I do wonder at the sincerity of some of the comments made about people who at least took the time and trouble to turn out, whatever their age or disposition.
Jack Critchlow
Torquay
Devon
I’m thinking of having a T-shirt printed with the words: “I’m 74 and I voted In.”
Please stop perpetrating sweeping generalities: “An older generation who turned their backs” (Emma Graham-Harrison, News). There is countrywide division enough without the media stirring up trouble between generations.
If you want to set up warring factions, why not try “the enlightened versus the unenlightened”?
Although I fear the unenlightened are about to become enlightened with a bump, very soon, and not in a good way!
Ann Barrington
Hitchin
I am a politically engaged 63-year-old, who voted emphatically for Remain. I did so for many reasons – the future of my four grandchildren, the horror of feeling as if the UK has pulled up the drawbridge and “others” are not welcome and because I love being part of Europe. Already we can see that Leave voters were duped, by politicians who admit to having no plan for the aftermath and Brexit. Most scary of all, we see far-right organisations emboldened and crawling from under their nasty stones.
If I was a bit younger and had a bit more money, I would up sticks and move away from a country I don’t recognise and I would persuade my young family to come with me.
Cherril Cliff
Leeds
Only 21% of those aged 18 to 24 voted for Remain. By contrast, more than 36% of the elderly did so.
The reality is that the elderly in the precariat were more likely to vote explicitly for Out, whereas the young in the precariat were put off by both parts of the establishment, which is why 70% of them did not vote at all.
The older part pine for a lost past, which is why I call them atavists. The young pine for a lost future, which was not offered by either side. So, most abstained.
The Remainers have imposed austerity and more and more insecurity, and then have done little more than claim that this is better than what the Leavers were offering. Would you jump out of bed to rush to vote for either side?
Guy Standing
School of Oriental and African Studies
University of London
