The Start of a new chapter in my life

Some suggest having a plan that changes or updates every five years. In other words, we should evaluate our lives, current situations, and course-correct where necessary. This evaluation could include jobs, career paths, homes, families, and dreams.

Brexit

A very controversial topic that has been discussed for over a decade in pubs and offices across the UK is the Brexit referendum. Did it work? Was it an unmitigated disaster? Does anyone accept responsibility for the outcome?

Did it work? Was it an unmitigated disaster? Does anyone accept responsibility?

The PM at the time, David Cameron, offered a simple but effective solution to an age-old problem of Europe, or so we thought.

A referendum for the people to decide, but there is a reason why we have a Government to make big decisions, and why consultation and deliberation are among the key steps to consider before making a momentous decision that will affect 50-plus million people and fundamentally change the way we live, work and plan our lives forever.

Instead, he offered an easy choice: stay or leave- vote – no understanding of what repercussions there were going to be or why we should vote one way or another, no margin to achieve, no limit to meet to ensure what we do doesn’t cost the country billions of pounds and years of hardship on the back of effectively one percentage point of voters.

Common sense says we needed to be sure that a majority, and by majority I mean big enough to make the change necessary.

Instead, with a vote of 51.89% to 48.11% we decided to forego all that we had known for over 40 years and implement a huge legal, financial and social change that would take 2 years to extract us from Europe at a cost of untold billions in payments, charges, and lost revenue.

In essence, a disaster the likes of which we haven’t seen since the 2008 banking crisis- do we ever learn?

In my opinion, David Cameron has to go down as one of the worst Prime Ministers in recent history, and when you include the likes of Liz Truss, and Boris Johnson in that group, then you have to do something bad to beat them.

The US elections

Let me start by saying that, given the choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, I would have voted for Trump. However, that doesn’t mean I agree with what he represents.

The United States has become increasingly divided, and the situation seems even more pronounced today. But what caused this split?

I believe that, despite the progress he made, Barack Obama’s reluctance to collaborate closely with Republicans laid the groundwork for this division. Typically, presidents need to work with the opposition to find common ground that satisfies both the House and Senate—and, ultimately, the American people. Joe Biden summed it up well in his inaugural speech in 2021.

I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy these days. I know the forces that divide us are deep, and they are real, but I also know they are not new. 

Joe Biden’s Inaugural Address, 20th January 2021

More importantly, he went on to say:

I will be a president for all Americans—all Americans—and I promise you I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did.

Joe Biden’s Inaugural Address, 20th January 2021

I don’t believe Obama anticipated what would unfold later on. The Republicans were angered, and in choosing Trump as their nominee, they saw an opportunity for revenge—to undermine the opposition due to their fear of what he might do.

It remains uncertain whether those who sought revenge could have predicted that ten years later, the political landscape would change dramatically and that the gloves would come off.

I want to believe that leaders of countries and territories genuinely aim to do well by their citizens, considering how their decisions impact everyone living there. However, I feel that this intention has diminished in recent times.

Today, we inhabit a world where the powerful are more focused on consolidating their power and wealth. They seem to believe they can act with impunity.

How do we stop this? The world is in turmoil; wars are being waged over land that may hold no value in a hundred years unless we address the effects of climate change. Yet individuals like Musk, Trump, and Putin continue to amass wealth and power for what purpose?

I don’t have the answers, but I, like millions of people in this world, care about this planet and hope we can save it before it’s too late.

Singapore

So after seeing what was unfolding and looking at a rather bleak future, I decided a new start was needed.

Almost 7000 miles away from the UK was a place I came to call home: Asia, and for a while Singapore in particular.

I felt tired and needed a new focus. This goes back to the 5-year plan of readjusting and planning.

What a Journey I was about to embark on… One that would keep me away from home for many years and open my eyes to what this world has to offer, meeting friends from the Americas, Africa, Europe and all across Asia.

To see real kindness from people who had little, and to see that friendships would still be strong 10 years later.