Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 24-6-2016

That’s … 

You know, I’m sorely tempted to say ‘That’s torn it.’

But those words seem just a little bit too glib, to describe what’s been announced.

So you know?

The UK has voted to leave the EU.

With 51.9% of those who voted — a 72% turnout — voting to leave, and 48.1% voting remain.   Going by the figures?   England and Wales mostly voted Leave, with Scotland, Northern Ireland and London mostly voting Remain.

We have two years to negotiate leaving: under Article 50 of the relevant treaty.

Given the currency’s going berserk as we speak?   And many businesses not yet saying what they’re going to do?   And much of the EU’s governing bodies not yet announcing how they’re going to react?

Those negotiators better be good.

~≈®≈~

Prime Minister, David Cameron, has just spoken.

And has announced that he will be standing down as Britain’s PM, and Conservative party leader.   And that a new leader will be chosen, by the time of the Party conference in October.

That new leader will then be put in place as PM: and in the position of Prime Minister, for the rest of this Parliament.   AND in charge of the Leave Negotiations.

That — as much as the Referendum’s result — is unsurprising.

But, speaking personally?   Much as I’m NO Conservative voter, I have to give the PM credit: for taking the BIGGEST political punt of a lifetime.

~≈®≈~

As a final thought?

Phew!

As a final thought, I voted remain.   As far as I understand it — from the media coverage of her death — Jo Cox MP, was killed, in part, because she was a Remain campaigner.

I voted Remain, in part, because I felt I would be supporting her killer, in voting Leave.   Although it was a close-run thing.   One or two people who’d commented on Facebook, made comments about those planning to vote Leave, I personally found deeply offensive: and almost had me voting Leave, in sympathy.

But voted Remain, as a way of sticking up two fingers to Jo Cox’s killer.

That was one part.

There’s a few others.   One?   Simply that at least one of my regular commentors — Olga — is a Spanish national living in the UK: and I’d hate to see her being unwelcome, purely because Britain had left the EU.

The other?

My family is bizarre.   But, basically, my step-father — and father of my two sisters, Anna and Ruth, and long since divorced from my mother — has properties in Spain.

Often?   Ruth, Anna and Jude holiday there.

The fact we’ve now decided to leave?   Means my nephews’s holiday in a beautiful part of the world are now — in all probability — far more difficult to arrange.

Has Britain blown it?

Quite probably.

I can only hope we figure SOMETHING out!

~≈®≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: scoring nine out of ten in the process.   The day ALSO saw Olga† leaving us a comment about yesterday’s vote.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) 24th June, 1571, saw the formal founding of Manila.   Manila is the capital city of where?

Q2) The first woman to sign a million dollar movie contract, did so on 24th June, 1916.   Who was she: Theda Bara, Mary Pickford or Angeline Jolie?

Q3) 24th June, 2010, saw the end of the longest tennis match in the game’s professional history: between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut.   It took place at which tennis club?

Q4) The USA’s first woman in space returned home: on 24th June, 1986.   What was her name?

Q5) Finally … 24th June, 1974, saw the British government admit it had tested what: computers, nuclear bombs or long-distance phone lines?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 23rd June, 2016, sees Britain vote on its membership of the EU.   It’s usually described as a what: plebiscite, referendum or poll?

A1) A referendum.

Q2) ‘EU’ stands for European … what?

A2) Union.

Q3) The act that set up today’s vote was passed by Parliament, when: 2013, 2014 or 2015?

A3) 2015.

Q4) Which MP introduced that bill: Phillip Hammond, Michael Gove or David Cameron?

A4) Phillip Hammond.

Q5) The last time Britain vote on its involvement with Europe, was in which year of the 1970s: 1974, 1975 or 1976?

A5) 1975.

Q6) That previous referendum was when the EU was called the EEC: or European Economic … what?

A6) Community.

Q7) Campaigning to leave the EU means you’re supporting a British Exit.   That’s also known as which ‘B’?

A7) Brexit.

Q8) Britain’s possible exit from the EU is covered under which article of the relevant treaty: 50, 51 or 52?

A8) 50.

Q9) Both China and the USA feel Britain should what: leave, or remain, in the EU?

A9) Remain.

Q10) Finally … Which UK political party has campaigned to leave the EU, for many years?

A10) The UK Independence Party, or UKIP.

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“We have to make war as we must and not as we would like to.”
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, 24 June 1850 – 5 June 1916.

And this tune …

Have a good day.

*        Debbi‡, what CAN I tell you?   Most elections are easy: we go for our choice of party through habit, inertia, politics, whatever.   This vote?   Boy … 

†        Olga‡, what CAN I tell you … ?   Except you were part of the way I voted.   

‡        Either way?   Either way, the die is now cast: Britain’s made its choice.   We’re either adrift or heading for bright new waters.   Lord knows which.