POST-BREXIT

Ned Thomas of Aberystwyth's Mercator Institute addressing the 'ALL EQUAL' event on the sea front.

The Referendum campaign seemed nothing less that an exercise in collective irresponsibity and the disarray following its outcome a fitting conclusion to the process. In spite of my dismay at the outcome I had expected it and was only surprised by the surprise of the financial markets who had predicted a Remain vote. So much for them as indicators of how things are.

The tide of xenophobia unleashed during the campaign and manifesting itself in its aftermath is disturbing, quite apart from the longer-term social consequences of the outcome. It was heartening, then, to be able to attend a gathering on the seafront in Aberystwyth where the flags of many nations, including many minority and/or 'disputed' nations, fly to celebrate diversity. The event was organised not so much to dispute the outcome of the Referendum, but to affirm the equality of all the inhabitants of the town and of the wider country wherever they are from.

There were speeches, poems, songs and statements of affirmation of this principle and we were all invited to wear a safety pin to represent the fact that we are all pinned together as common citizens of the world. We concluded by joining hands in a chain under those flags all along the Promenade. It's good to be part of a community that can organise such an event at short notice and get such a good turnout to support it.