More for your information than any request.

The United Kingdom voted to leave the Europe Union in June 2016 and is likely to leave on the 29th March this year. Commonly called 'Brexit' (British Exit).

The decision is causing strife as it was a close call 52%-48% and certain areas e.g. Scotland voting overwhelmingly to stay in the European Union 62%-33%. It was a countrywide referendum so the smaller areas are interesting but have no influence over the final outcome. Many are demanding a new referendum hoping it goes the other way.

The strife has been long and loud, from family level infighting, to the politicians supposedly carrying out the wishes of the people but instead backing their own wishes (twas ever thus). Some also talk of actual riots in the streets if they don't get their own way, even after the democratic vote. Confidence in politicians and our political system is very low.

Of more interest to this site are the threats to our resilience being made: no fresh food from abroad for many weeks due to deliberatly slow customs clearance. (The EU are unhappy about us leaving and taking our money away). Larger companies running out of imported parts as they run a just in time business. Air transport being shut down as no CAA (=FAA) licences being void. and so on and so on.

Many big organisations are stockpiling items, so much so no warehousing is now available in the UK three months ahead of leaving. If you have not reserved it, tough, it is gone.

On a personal level it is difficult to know what to do. There may be shortages of fruit and pork products but who knows. Some foodstuffs we are self sufficient. Many we are not. There are news items that we will run out of water treatment chemicals and will have to shut down a few water treatment centres but there are other news items saying that is not the case!

Over all, it will be an interesting six months or so and you may want to keep tabs on what is happening inside a modern, rich country and how it deals with such a major change in direction. The key word in searches is 'Brexit'.

CNN Report