Dear Europe my message is um quite simple and straight forward I t think I will miss you I hope I won’t but yeah we’re gonna leave.

I love you so much we’re so sad to leave you, bye.

(excerpt from ‘I can’t stop loving you’ sung by Ray Charles)

(I can t stop loving you)
I’ve made up my mind
To live in memory of the lonesome times
(I cant stop wanting you)
Its useless to say
So ill just live my life in dreams of yesterday…

Big love

(Woman sings over the top of ‘Lets stay together’ sung by Al Green)

Let me, be the one you come running to

I’ll never be untrue
Oh baby
Let’s, let’s stay together (‘gether)
Lovin’ you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad
Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah
Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad Why, why some people break up
Then turn around and make up
I just can’t see
You’d never do that to me (would you, baby) Staying around you is all I see
(Here’s what I want us do)
Let’s, we oughta stay together (‘gether)
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad
Come on
Let’s stay, (let’s stay together) let’s stay together Loving you whether…

I just don’t want to go. I just want to stay. Please don’t go, life won’t be the same.

Im just so sad. I blame the Tories. I think the Tories are working people to vote one way and then the other… I think people are angry…I just don’t see how there’s any positive thing that you can take from leaving Europe. And I just hope we rejoin it and I don’t love the EU… I just feel that it’s a statement of hope and peace…And On a democratic level its needs to reformed if it’s really to be a peoples state rather than a union of states. But I just feel so sad that we can’t even be a member of that… We can’t even be a member of an agreement of states…You know, its just sad.

Oh, do I press that now? No afterwards.

No hard evidence

We shall see in the days to come whether all of this rigmarole was a Shakespearean comedy or a tragedy penned by Benny Hill. After uncivil war of Brexiteers marching on rations fed them by Cambridge Analytica and Russian social media propaganda pretending to inform them. After old alliances between brothers had been broken so new ones would be forged by fake news, we all took our side. Our shields were locked with the clash song playing as background noise, should we stay or should we go.

But when the smoke of battle cleared the Remainers couldn’t believe their ears. Their astonishment matched only by that of thousands of Brexiteers who wailed what have we done it was only a referendum we said yes to protest about immigrants and government this bloody messy Brexit is not what we expected.

Some might say they were duped by the Daily Mail’s lies hoodwinked, enmeshed and tangled unable to freely choose. Condemned to writhe and wriggle like an innocent child hurled free into the heady referendum air only to get caught on a bayonet point.

Our Island’s game of thrones started before the blood red bus departed. Before present Kingdoms had been bought with false promises of better health for all. The swords were wrought of iron heated in furnaces fuelled by Thatcherite slag dragged from closed pits.

Our leaving was contrived in a dark abandoned piss smelling damp filled well of a place neither mine nor quarry nor dungeon…A hole called Westminster. A procession of loathsome characters inhabit this lair once the spinning ground of the Iraq war liar Tony Blair. There was rubber lipped Boris the fat and fair. The spidered creature who wove a web to deceive. And Farage the fraudulent, London bus red with rage against invaders who might cross from Calais. There was Gove the betrayer who’s name sounds like Go mixed with Grave.

Two of these three hags soon left the stage, one betrayed, later to return as Foreign secretary. The other self satisfied with the mischief made went to lend a hand to like minded Trump. Leaving Gore the leaver to govern. But then came aye aye, a aye May and heralded Brexit spring. Now she’d never been a Leaver she wasn’t elected leader. Said if we supported her she would be our dealer and remake Europe kinder for the British worker now she’s up the junction. Oh me, oh my, oh May.

With hindsight we see the light, hard Brexits have grown limp. What once were Leavers are now Remainers. Cold left overs. Deal or no deal it most be done poor souls have been preyed upon.

Pale, chubby faced infants who believed the lies voters from the north easter for instance who were fed pork pies. These lads and lasses ,ageing grans and dads, trussed up on on hot spits to be feasted on like suckling pigs stuffed with a farce hot from Big Ben. Their Brexit lies in tatters but cannot rest in piece. Rip up a deal to start a new or just leave the mess and cross our fingers that the crafty Euros do not notice and next time we promise to be clear about what the vote is.

Hasta La Vista Baby

Yeah just want to say that did you know that San Pellegrino actually contains the same amount of sugar as a can of Coke. I know, troubling.

You say the first bit when we have a press conference… What did I say…when we have a press conference. Ah we always start with Brexit Brexit Brexit Trump Trump Trump and now may we address the exhibition please…Thats the beginning of all of our press conferences…

Hello this is my Brexit message. I’m participating in the dial 44 Leave a message for Europe research being carried out by Joe Sweeney. Id just like to say goodbye Europe don take it personally. We still remain very close to you there are so many things we like about you. But as an island race there are son many things we want to do differently so let’s go forward together and enjoy the best and leave behind all the negative.

Hello you remember me
I’m the island that on a clear day you can see
You see were separated by the smallest sea
52 percent of people angrily agree
But a lot still here believe in the unity of European community There’s compassions and kindness I swear
I swear to God some people still care
My grunts of despair go unheard
The slaves who voted for more chains
Lads, Lads, Lads holiday in the south of Spain
Club 1830 fucked us once again

You’re going to reap just what you sow. Reap, reap, reap. You’re going to reap just what you sow. Reap, reap, reap…

Dear Europe, this is Mike Pickering. As a Mancunian we feel as much part of Europe as we do a part of Britain. We wanna mix culture, not look away from it. We want you to be part us and us to

be part of you. You may think we’re in a minority here because of that stupid vote. We’re not, don’t worry.

When I first heard about Brexit I thought it was some sort of cereal little did I know it was the end of the world that everyone was talking about. Apocalyspe now, cheerio, cheerio everyone. We’re off, we’re going we’re out. Cheerio. Fucking Brex-shit, breakfast Brex-shit. Brexit, Brex-shit…very, very ‘Hangry’. It’s pretty bleak.

Britain needs to leave Europe on the 29th of March and no deal is better than anything else.

I think its bullshit, I want to move freely around Europe like everyone else and I cannae (can’t) do that anymore.

I think.. should…I the rest. No carry on talking. I… Have you finished… yeah. Ok then.

I think Britain should leave Europe for many many reasons.

Hello it’s Jeremy Shepphard calling form Cambridge on the evening of the 14th March 2019…

I Europe I just want to say. I’m really sorry, I’m really sorry but we’re leaving you. It’s not you it’s us. Bye

So, as an 18 year old want old enough to vote when the Brexit referendum was first proposed.
And one idea which was suggested was that 16 year olds should be allowed vote as we are the people that would be taking over the consequences. That wasn’t allowed which was a bit gutting I mean I still would’ve just missed it but I feel that the vote would’ve gone much differently as the majority of the young population were the ones that wanted to stay in the EU. And I think the reason for that is that we want the security that comes with it because so much of just the foundation of England are so tied with Europe and the EU. Like the trade deals and stuff. So without that, that leaves a lot of insecurity. Which as someone who is about to make a big financial commitment with university and that kind of thing and will soon be looking to enter the world of work the idea that all of that is just that much more uncertain is a bit worrying. I think that there definitely should have been more public…like more public involvement in it. Once they had the deal sorted they should have given it to the public. Because with the campaigns and everything for Brexit. There was so much confusion and misleading information and so a lot of people were voting for things which were either completely not true or just because they didn’t quite understand things. So once a deal was negotiated it think the British public shove been given the chance to vote again. Is this a deal we want kind of thing. But yeah I think there’s a lot of uncertain

times ahead if this does go through . And I think we just all have to hope for the best and hope that the EU is kind to us with any deals we come out with. Because i’s not…because it was such a close vote because the people… the majority of people only just voted to leave but it was so close that so many people wanted to stay. Huh, kinda doesn’t seem right. I mean normally a vote that close…people would’ve said to redo it, it would’ve not been valid.

But hey ho, here we are. Guess we’ve just gotta hope for the best now.

Think about Brexit… what’s that?…like where we’re leaving the European union…I seriously like… so it was to leave the EU…oh the EU yeah yeah…like welfare and the things we trade with would be cut down…so does that mean we won’t have any trees? Cheese? Trees…Why wouldn’t we have trees?… No we’re just not in the European Union, we’re still classed as being in Europe… Doesn’t it mean it’ll be harder to like go to like Spain and stuff?… So it’ll be harder to go on holidays?…yeah I think so…oh I love my holidays!

Hey its me I know you said you just wanted out but I just want to talk. I’m in this place where him just trying to accept the decision and move on but I’m just really struggling. I know we said it was mutual, I was really in two minds about it. It might have been a different result. I’ve been a mess since that day I feel like we’ve made a huge mistake, you know? Like when ww first got together we were both in pretty bad places but we got thought it together, you know and like you opened my eyes to so much great stuff…like food I wouldn’t of tried if I was on my own and all those festivals and stuff. You Made me a more interesting version of myself but I got complacent. I took you for granted and started focussing on your flaws instead f trying to make things better. I hate that we drifted apart, we had something really special…I’m sorry I didn’t realise until it was too late…I”m sorry my answer was so stupid when you asked if I wanted to stay with you. Pleas give me another chance, let’s talk, please ask me again.

Hello Europe I’d like to say I represent quite a large percentage of people that don’t feel like we’re getting our country back, we feel like we are loosing our freedom.

It was never perfect but there was some sort of union maybe, something we could’ve worked on together. Either way I’m sorry you left, you’ll perhaps tells us about freedom and democracy. Tell that leave is a great big shot and that we’re paid to trust it. We’re the generation you call snowflakes, so tell us abut universal access. It seems were the generation left in the universal credit. Tell us that you’re right about the deserving poor and that we’re the generation left remaining to survive. Perhaps you were right all along and that you didn’t just leave to mark history, to conserve what’s right. Either way I’m sorry we left.

Brex-Ace, Brace Space its a bit like invading space ace is a fantasy in case you saw them vote for the side of a bus austerity made it your only ace Walking out you leave-you and those around you- in a worse place Don’t walk out Don’t walk out Don’t walk out Don’t walk out Don’t walk out.

I have no idea

Please don’t leave we need you with us we love Europe. Bye, Stamatis.

Hi Europe, I think you’re going to be sorely missed in more ways than we imagine right now but yeah maybe…I don’t know…we will be back one day but who knows. Take care, goodbye.

Europe we’re sorry we hang our head in shame and we only hope that you will hold a hand as we get through this difficult time. As David Bowie said ‘for here I am sitting in a tin can far above the world. Planet Earth is blue and there’s nothing I can do’

Hello, this is tom calling form Lisbon. I actually sort of got off the boat before it sunk and I don’t really know what’s happening. Its just been a pleasure to experience living in Europe without any borders or visas and I hoe that I shall be able to remain here and that Brexit won’t affect me…the divide opinion of Brexit is very concerning. I spoke to my Grandmother before Christmas and she is very pro Brexit and I actually haven’t spoken to her on the subject since Ia asked if shed bought the Daily Mail that week and she told me she had indeed bought the Daily Mail she had bought two copies of the Daily Mail. One her and one for her husband. So this is a message for the Uk from Europe…Bye Bye.

(excerpt from an unknown song)

(Baby crying)

What are you talking about…oh you leave a message don’t you? Oh, we don’t wanna leave right… (laughter in background)

(As read by an Elvis impersonator) This is a message for Europe on behalf of Nina Mae Fowler. I wonder if you’re lonesome tonight, you know someone said the world’s a stage and each must play a part. Fate had me playing in love with you as my sweetheart. Act 1 is when we met, I loved you at first glance. You read your lines so cleverly and never missed a queue. Then came act 2, you seemed to change and acted strange and why, I’ll never know. Honey you lied when you said you loved me and I had no cause to doubt you but I’d rather go on hearing your lies than go on living without you. Now the stage is bare and I’m standing there with emptiness all around. And if you won’t come back to me then they can bring the curtain down.

Having lived the renaissance in multiculturalism in the great city of London over the last 30 years I am saddened by the recent meanness and xenophobia stalking the airwaves and printing presses in the UK since 2016. The destructive power of Brexit is everywhere from misplaced and outdated nationalism, loss of security and cooperation ability to live, work and move freely in 28 countries and of course the looming disaster for our standard of living. This two year obsession with Brexit has seen virtually no focus on many pressing economic and social problems. Whether it be the rise in murders amongst the young in our major cities or the continuing slide in performance of the NHS. Capital investment is deserting the UK with good reason. The famed stable democracy is now a laughing stock in Europe and elsewhere throughout the world. To all our European friends forgive us this hour of madness in the history of this great nation. And may we once again be united in a common cause of European unity and prosperity.

Hello this is Tim Noble. This a beautiful idea of Joe Sweeney’s, a collection of human voices a mass archive of conscious humans its like recording a moment in time yet here i am sort of confused about what to say. It appears on mass you feel to unsure to commit your opinion too it s easy when you’re down the pub or sending a text message. But an actual voice to leave your voice its too terrifying it seems. Why isn’t it taking off this idea, hundreds of thousands of us should be joining in, build this momentum it should be played out of speakers and rocks around this septic isle so what are the real facts they change and distort. Maybe this is how we got into this fucking mess in the first place? None of us knew what we were signing up for and it seems we’re none the wiser. If we leave the European Union we’ll have to deal with America so expect jaffa oranges and bleached eggs and chlorine chicken… Artists have always thrived in times of adversity. Hold on tight, I think ill go for a midnight swim

(Goats wailing)

Frenchman says soft cheese is better but I say MON DIEU! No whatever you stay over there with your camembert and keep your hands off my Cheddar!

Trace your DNA back far enough, you’ll find that we’re all related somehow but how different our lives are. I wish I could say something profound about Brexit and Europe and Britain but it’s hard to know what to say anymore. I’m tired of the distraction, tired of being caught up in the decisions of the rich, tired of feeling like my life is inconsequential. We’ve had 3 years of this media storm all

the while avoiding the life threatening decisions of our government. We have bigger problems than Brexit. We have food banks, privatisation of public assets, people dying on the streets, universal credit vulnerable children, home office deportations, rising racism. Huge risks in our society and the looming ecological crisis which isn’t going anywhere. Brexit was engineered by the rich for the rich and a vast number of leavers were duped into thinking this would benefit them too. Some believed that they would get their county back, why don they direct these sentiments towards those in power? Brexit has exposed, exploded and benefited from the pre existing class divides, racism, islamophobia, anti semitism, sexism and xenophobia in our society. The more we buy into he narrative that the other is here to take from us, the more these creepy silent powers can take from us. This shadowy elite want to take away our right so we’re easier to control. They want to reduce us to warring factions whilst they profit from tax havens and trade deals with America. Europe, you must think that we’re really stupid for all of this and that’s ok I guess we kind of are but you’re not perfect either. You might have better rights for workers and a more favourable environmental policy but there are still thousands of people stuck outside the walls of fortress Europe. Thousands of people who’s lives have been lost in the seas that surround this continent. A passport is an accident of birth and fortunate to benefit from a British one despite all this. It’s not that I don’t care anymore because leaving you will obviously be very detrimental to the mental health of our country, to your economy, to the deepening risks in ideologies. But I have to move on. How can we go forward if we keep lamenting this decision. My main priority now is for a general election.

(excerpt from Ils ont change ma chanson sung by Melanie)

I’m looking through somebody else eyes, but I just can’t see, I just can’t see. I’m living out somebody else’s lies what’s wrong with me. What’s wrong with me.

hey you still up just calling to see if you’re around no thought maybe I could come round it’s been a while. Anyway call me back, bye.

Hello Europe I’m very sad to think that in England and the UK will be severing our economic and political ties. And I would like to reassure you there are plenty of people here who feel very much part and allied to the virtues we both share. You will always have at least one person from this great nation by your side. All my gratitude and support. Byron from London.

Part of me feels like the government in this country knows something and they’re jumping ship before something happens. I hope that’s not the case. Goodbye Europe.

Brexit, blink and you’ll miss it.

Who the cut knows what’s going on with Brexit. I think the politicians are just trying to run out out of time. They’re not thinking about the people they’re just thinking about what they can get out of it. And it just seems kind of fucked up that an entire nation and like generations of this nation, people who aren’t even born yet are going to be affected by a decision made by a couple hundred MPs whoa are just trying to get what they want out of it. I think there’s very little amount of them are actual thinking about the future and the youth who are going to have to live with these decisions. I think Nigel Farage, he’s not going to be alive in 50 years, my generation is and we’re going to be dealing with the consequences of some racist UKIP leader who was xenophobic and afraid of…I don’t even know what the fuck they’re afraid of. They’re just afraid of differences and a more diverse society and they latched onto that and they kind of brainwashed half the population into believing that Brexit and segregating our own community away from the rest of Europe was gonna be a good thing. And physically this country is an island but through the EU we were becoming more than just an Island, we were connected. We enriched our society so much that are sort of politics, everything is so much better the you have people from different countries all coming together in new places because if everyone in society believed in the same thing, if everyone was from the same background you wouldn’t be able to have any form of growth within a country you’d be thinking the same things. And when we all come together from all our different backgrounds it’s 10 times better than when we kick others out because they’re different. And having this fear of being feared I don’t even understand it…I’m 18. Im going to have to live with these decision no mater what. But this happened in 2016 I was too young to vote then. But I will now have to live with these decisions. It will now restrict, you know, what I can learn at Uni… lectures…they don’t know what’s going to happen. And I just think that the way this country is going as a whole. Moving towards nationalism, it’s terrifying. I think its sad. I think hat peoples voices from minorities are especially being pushed down and silenced. I hope this current state will spur a bigger movement to counteract it and that’s what I hope but I don’t think that’s gonna happen. And yeah that’s all I have to really say now…yeah.

Hello people my name is Honza I’m from Czech Republic and I moved to England 18 years ago which was my dream I always wanted to the island, non European island something very extra. Now after all these 18 years I’m living on this extra little island, so I’ll look forward ro waving across the water to France and to call it a singular not EU anymore.

Hello this is David here I’m calling to say that … I don’t know which way to go on Brexit I talk to someone who’s pro leaving and I believe them then I speak to someone who’s anti leaving and I think well sounds right too. So it all leads me to think of the old Tommy Cooper joke where he… about the man who walks into a pub and orders a pint of beer and drinks it down and turns to the right and says ‘ you’re a bunch of fools’ and turns to left and says ‘you’re a bunch of idiots’ and walks out. And the next night he does the same thing, orders a pint of beer drinks it down turns to the right and says ‘ you’re a bunch of fools’ and turns to left and says ‘you’re a bunch of idiots’ and walks out. And then the next night he walks in again and does the same thing and a man at the bar says ‘I’m not havin’ that, I’m gonna tell ‘I’m’ and the man drinks his pint down and says ‘ you’re a bunch of fools…You’re a bunch of idiots’ and the man says ‘I’m not an idiot’ and so he says ‘get over her with the fools then’…That very unfunny joke by the way I told, it was very unfunny does remind me of this situation, I don’t know who the fools and who the idiots are so I’m gonna wait for the best thing to happen, I believe it’s all gonna work out miraculously well one way or another because that’s human nature. And I would only say one more thing that I think people need to make the distinction between the people of Europe who we all love and bureaucracy of

Europe who maybe we’re not so sure about and then will be much clearer. Thank you very much and goodnight and good luck!

Hi Europe I just wanted to say that I’m getting an Irish passport so it’s fine ill see you soon. I’ve never been happier to have Irish Grandparents, what a piggy mess it is.

I can’t think of any words to say because I feel like we’ve been shouting into a void. Brexit signifies everything that’s wrong with this world.

(excerpt from Black Adder, TV comedy)

(message says ‘Goodbye’ in all of the languages of the European Union)

Hi I’m Janie, I wish we’d never even had the vote, but it’s happened and it think its really sad we are leaving because I think we should be united more than ever. Instead of being apart we just need to be together. Love you Europe.

Dear Europe I really hope that revoke article 50 and that we stay with you. I am so embarrassed when I come Europe and I once used to say oh I’m from England. Now I think I’m going to tell everyone I’m from India. Anyway Europe I hope we stay part of you. Bye!

Europe I want to say thank you. You’ve pushed he UK forward on workers rights, social and environmental protections and given us the remarkable gift of free movement. And for all of its flaws the EU is the greatest international venture for peace, prosperity and freedom in history. But it’s true we’ve become a continent of grotesque inequality between nations, regions, cities and towns old and young. And so in 2016 people in the UK demanded change, they gave the establishment a well deserved kicking and people across Europe have rightly had enough of the status quo. Every one of the UK’s 30 worst cold spots for social mobility voted for Brexit and I can’t believe that’s a coincidence. People know the social contract has broken and that political system is rigged. They know there has to be something better. So whatever happens with Brexit politicians across Europe must give the people a voice. We should admit the EU isn’t perfect and deliver bold democratic reform. We must transform our economies so people live more fulfilling lives with bold changes to inequality, empower workers. And bring the opportunities of free movement within the reach of everyone. It’s time to build a Europe that puts people first and we can only do that by working together.

What do you have to say about Europe?…I wasn’t expecting it to have started already, what do I have to say but Europe? I moved here 3 months after the Brexit vote, to London. And I definitely didn’t expect to be leaving again before it actually happened, but I am. It’s been quite a mess… you know more about it than I do, I thinks because you’re external where as I assume more…I feel like I know more about than most people that I know and I don’t know why that is. Maybe it’s because Irish politics is so boring that its actually cool to have something to actually get engaged with for once…is this what we’re supposed to be doing? I don’t know, that’s all we have to say, we’re leaving, we’re moving to Ireland actually, I’m chasing the passport…I have one, it’s European. Sorry about it.

Oh, right yes. So my message for Europe. Well the first thing to say is that we can’t leave Europe, we are part of Europe geographically, we are part off the continent so we can’t leave Europe in that sense. And I suppose we could, you know if our island becomes like a…if it starts to drift and sail away like a fishing boat I can imagine Captain Mannering holding up a Union Jack flag and Sergeant Wilson behind Captain Mannering with a smoking flare just lost in the dark sea of the… well the North Sea. Or we might even one day sink beneath the sea and we’ll just be like a forgotten island beneath the waters and we’ll have a lonely submarine signal going up saying… calling fro help from Europe. You know, help us rise again above the waters of this…catastrophe’s too strong of a word but certainly it’s very damaging to us, this decision to leave Europe. So you will know then that I voted to remain and I voted to remain, not for any understanding really of the European Union, from a political point of view. I don’t know who my MEP is, I don’t know how the European Council works really. But my decision to vote remain in the referendum in 2016 was really based on what I had experienced my life experience. And my life experience is that I live in an old house with a changing demographic, changing number of people from all over the world. I’ve lived with 20 people who come from Canada, from Australia, from India, from Germany, from France, from Poland, from Algeria, Nigeria…From Ireland and that has been a very enriching experience for me, I’m not a lesser me by having that environment. I’m more enriched by it and in every way you learn more about other people ad other cultures and other ways of seeing the world and this is a very powerful and wonderful thing. And London, the city of London where I live, voted remain because we are so enriched by this diversity of people living in this city of ours so that’s why I voted to remain. And I know that the EU is not good for fisherman. This telephone kiosk is right on the beach. I know that fisherman have really despised the common agricultural policy, the fishing policy. But for me the EU is particularly powerful and strong in terms of the environment, you know we’ve got cleaner beaches, cleaner water, cleaner air hopefully as a result of those EU regulations which keep us in check. More can be done. So that’s why I think we should remain with you Europe. I’m sorry, I’m very sorry that we’ll be pointing our ship in the opposite direction and trying to sail away from you. I’m going to just ramble on…you know the Oxford English Dictionary, every year they choose a word that seems to encapsulate the mood of the year and its a new word or a word that repeats all the time so Toxic was one word, I can’t remember which year but it was recently, might have been 2016. The word toxic and last year was Youthquake, I have looked it up but I think it was Youthquake. And I thought I would choose my own word to summarise this year so far, we’re only in March and what we’re going through. And my word, its a lovely word, it’s Fissiparous. And what that word means is splitting up into small groups…I think fission, the splitting of the atomic particle, the atom comes also form he same root as Fissiparous. And really I’m now getting to the crux of what’s going on, which is that we are so split up into tiny groups that we can’t agree on anything. In parliament there’s no majority on anything so we’re kind of stuck, we can’t push anything through at all. And I’m saying all of this on the 20th of March and in 9 days time we were going to be leaving the European Union. And the decision was taken last week to try and push back article 50, which is the divorce from Europe, to buy more time. To agree on something, to agree on our terms of leaving. And the problem is…first of all…nobody…well yesterday, nobody seemed to able to decide whether it should be a short extension or a long

extension this is typical. We just can’t decide on anything, long or short extension. In fact the politics of it means it will nee a short extension, it can’t be a long extension otherwise we’d have to vote in our own MEPs to sit in the European Council. But this, you know, is going on and on and on…Europe has said we won’t renegotiate the deal and they seem to be sticking to that. So really it’s difficult to see how Theresa May’s deal can be got through parliament. And John Bercow the speaker of the his was saying yesterday or a day before that the deal can’t be put back on the table for a third vote unless it’s significantly changed. So it seems like things are going to remain stuck for longe. Now, so what are the good things about leaving about leaving Europe, what are we gaining fro doing this? There are a few things that have occurred to me that are positive about Brexit even though I’m absolutely opposed to it. The first thing that’s really positive is that if we’d voted to remain, imagine how much duller it would’ve been if we’d voted remain. We are so much more politically engaged, I dislike that word, but engaged we are by politics. The whole countries got an opinion on this. We’re so much more politically articulate as a result of this decision to leave Europe. And it’s also revved up young people who are marching very very regularly. They’re leaving schools on Friday to protest about the inaction on climate change. And that’s a bad thing about breast actually, our eyes are totally off the ball. Of all the other very important issues that need to be addressed we’re completely inward looking and navel gazing because of Brexit. But anyway young people are more engaged as a result of Brexit, we all are. So that’s actually one of the good things about Brexit. And another good thing about Brexit, the decision to leave, will actually give the arts, generally, something to kick against…and this is happening with this artwork. So I think our reaching out to our European cousins will be even…will continue and will be even stronger and I think that will be done culturally. And I’m very excited actually by Francis Morris, who’s the director of Tate Modern, and for me personally I think she’s been terrific as the Director of Tate Modern. She’ shown a lot of women artists retrospectives like Annie Albers, Dorothea Tannig, Agnes Martin, Sonia Delaunay, Marlene Dumas, Ellen Gallagher…also artists from non European countries. I think there was also Wilfrido Lam who I think was a Latin American artist. So she’s really broken this idea of successful male artists having retrospectives and I think she’ll continue to show a much more varied and interesting programme of artists at Tate Modern. So I think the arts may benefit by kicking against this decision…what else can I say…ooh yes. Something else that does occur to me, which personally I think is a good thing, I know that others won’t think of this as a good thing. But I think that possibly Ireland will be a united island. The island of Ireland. The Republic will unite with the Northern Ireland. And I think that will be a good thing for Ireland, actually the island of Ireland. So that’s what I think there. Why I think Brexit is so harmful and so damaging is that I think it will leave a stain on our history that will last for hundreds of years. I think it kills dead referendums, I don think anybody in there right minds would say well let’s give it to the people. So I thin referendums are going to be dead for a while. By the way I am against a peoples vote, I don’t think there should be a second vote on this, we don’t understand it, we don’t understand what’s going on. And anyway I won’t go down that road, there’s a lot to say about that. So I think it’s really damaging, the idea of Brexit for our history. I think politicians hundreds of years hence will say we don’t want that, remember what happened in 2019, remember Brexit, so we don’t want that to happened again. Who knows what the implications of that will be. Perhaps Brexit has also broken the binary of Labour and Conservative parties, and I think maybe, well it’s happened hasn’t it. There’ll be more parties, we’ve got this independent group and perhaps we’ll see the rise of the Greens, I really hope so…so we’re living as the Chinese say, in interesting times. And it is interesting, I mean if you miss a days news and I have missed a days news, it’s like missing a whole years news in old currency. You know things are…you know so much happens in a day these days. So I think that’s all I’ve got to say, suppose I could ramble on about the Peoples Vote but I’ll leave it there. Thank you and over and out.

A a time where Britain is leaving the European union. It’s a time where Europe needs us most, because without Britain, Europe is nothing. Without Europe, Britain is nothing. Together we have a shared common interest which has bound us together for the past 40 plus years. We must remember that in times of need we must depend on each other and show each other acts of

kindness and gratitude in order to strengthen who we are as people. And that is why we should work as closely as possible with Europe and our people and the rest of the world too. Thank you.

I don’t think it’s a good idea. Don’t do it.

When we voted back the 1970s to join the EU like now its was uncharted waters. Personally I don’t think we’ve ever really embraced the Union. We’re one of the few countries that have opted to keep our own currency and not the Euro. We don’t nothing but moan about being dictated to. The majority have voted to leave now and I just wish we could get on with it. And I for one would be happy to never hear the word Brexit again.

Hello I would to say that I think it was a very large protest vote on behalf of a lot of angry people. Oi think a lot of angry people are angry at the status quo at the moment, that’s why a lot o people voted to leave. I think a lot of people who did vote to leave are going to be the ones most affected by leaving. I also think that its quite uncharted territory and…we’re not really sure of what we’re getting ourselves into. But what’s one is done. Onwards we go.

I cannot believe I’m a witness of one of the most catastrophic Constitutional disasters clearly aimed to bring the UK back into the Dark Ages. I’ve always support to the UK is a shining example of democracy…on the contrary throughout these past two years I’ve been observing blind stubbornness, utter lack of plans and above all the Governments inability to admit this Brexit thing is founded on a massive bunch of lies and mislead expectations. 2 years of populist political batteries which has transformed this country into an international laughing stock perching high on a cliff overlooking a dream turning into the darkest nightmare.

Goodbye goodbye, wipe the tear baby dear from your eye. Though it’s hard to part I know I’ll be tickled to death to go. Don’t cry, don’t sigh there’s a silver lining in the sky. Bonsoir old thing cheerio chin chin. Now poo toodaloo goodbye!

I love Europe. I don’t want to leave the EU. I love everybody and I hate the fact that so many British people have decided that we’re gonna try and make it on our own back to the Blue passport era is absolute nonsense you just have should have no orders we should all be love, happy and all just try and get along as were all human beings at the end of the day and politics has just fucked us over. That’s how I feel about it, but big love big love to everyone.

We cannot leave you, we actually cannot. We are unable to leave you because our government is in a state of utter deadlock and paralysis since we’ve spent the last two years playing party politics, point scoring and not thinking about the people. Every time a political leader reminds us of austerity he’s shouted down but some schools are so underfunded teachers are having to buy stationery out of their own pockets. A Brexit deal has repeatedly been rejected and no deal is also rejected so unless we can agree on another deal, which seems unlikely, what else is there but to revoke Article 50. I feel conflicted by that but I’m buoyed by a petition circulated today that’s been met with joy and the first optimism within my London centric echo chamber about politics since Corbyn was elected. But tomorrows news will undoubtedly feature uncomfortable backlash form Brexiteers that will once again feel like they’re not being listened to by those that perceive are the elites. We need propose a new peoples vote but do so with compromise. Perhaps we remain in the EU on a kind of probation for two years. We genuinely engage in reforming it from the inside. We have an independently fact checked web portal which constrains statistics on how much money were paying into the EU monthly and what change we want to see and how it’s being run and any progress made on those. We have another referendum in 2021 where people can make a more informed decision without lies and without scaremongering, hate and racism. No one who voted remain or leave has enjoyed the last few years where we spent more negations than we pay into the EU. Our government’s useless so we need to unite and use our voice.

England needs London. Dreaming of and England that never existed. But a place and a time that can’t be deleted. A sore on the psyche that was never physical, a dream like state of and for the delusional. But I remember London not so long ago, when we thought we were invincible. A London that was truly incredible. I can taste it, it was nearly edible. That has gone now, it too may never have been real. But I remember it, I was there, it was the real deal. So England, you’re having your last meal. Are you enjoying it? It’s London you fuck whit, looks to me like you’ll choke on it.

I love you Brexit…I mean remain! Freudian slip, too much of the wrong press.

So stay within the EU it’s the logical, obvious thing. We can all understand where the Brexiteers are coming from. But actually on balance we should say in the EU. I know that they’ve behaved outrageously and the Brussels project is way over the tope and so on. But we’ll do better, we’ll do better staying with them and creating a lovely federalist Euro state ok?

If a weak pound is so great then why does no one like sex with me?

I’m a mother of 6 and I’m British and English born and bred and I live part time in Barcelona. And my message for Europe is Spain we love you, can’t believe what’s happening here in Britain in my own country. Don’t leave Britain, stay and if you want to reform something stay within it and become a union. And don’t separate, we’re not into separatism and we love Europe.

Order! Order! No return to the Irish hard boarder!

Unfortunately I was too young to vote but I wish I could have a power in my voice and today has been a very good day for that. But Europe it’s been an absolute pleasure, I hope one day we will meet again. Yes God bless Europe but fuck Britain for the moment.

And all that we wanted was to be with our families, to live with our loved ones, to have better lives. I don’t…hmmm…this is a shambles nobody knows what they’re doing and I just can’t.

Vivienne Westwood. Brexit is a crime. Along time a go I was once on a jury about the police versus two little rockers walking home late one night who got pulled in because a motorbike had been stolen. And the judge said he wanted a majority of at least 10. He didn’t say 7 out of 12 nor even 6.1. Huh. Brexit statistics were 51.9 versus 48.1 percent. On these grounds Theresa May a responsible government would now admit the crime and cancel it…that’s it.

Je ne sais pas quoi dire. Je n’ai pas les mots, ni en Français ni en Anglais, pour m’éxprimer. C’est difficile de savoir comment ce sentir pendant une période comme cela, d’incertitude, où nous sommes tous perdus, déçus, confus. Qu’est ce qu’on est supposé à faire maintenant, nous les jeunes, qui veulent vous donner la main, continuer à faire l’amour avec vous, et maintenir cette relation; laquelle mâlheureusement on a jamais apprécié jusqu’à maintenant. La seule chose qu’on puisse faire pour rester ensemble c’est de continuer à partager nos idées, partager la musique, la poésie, la litérature; tout ce qui nous rend humain. S’il vous plait pardonnez nous. Sans question on a toujours été un pays arrogant, mais j’éspère que cette farce sera au moins une leçon d’humilité. Je sais que je n’ai rien dis de profond ou de particulièrement politique, mais je pense que c’est dans ces moments là qu’on dois parler de la part de nos coeurs et non pas de nos cerveaux. Malgré tout cela, pour de raisons inconnues, j’ai encore de l’éspoir. Et c’est a cette éspoir que je vais m’accrocher, comme je veux m’accrocher à vous, toujours.

I watched the result from the referendum and I was…well I was in disbelief. I was absolutely devastated and now I’m watching everything that’s going on and I just wish it would go away.I don’t want to leave.

Hi Europe. I just wanted to say I’m sorry. When the referendum cam around I didn’t believe we’d get the result we did and I didn’t do enough. My Nan voted to leave because she missed being able to buy New Zealand lamb. If I’d have done more to convince her about the real reasons why Brexit was such bad idea…well that would’ve been one more. And is the 17 million people who voted to stay had done that we wouldst be in this situation now. So I’m really sorry. I’m still hopeful we’ll stay. And I’ll miss ya, I’ll miss you a lot.

For me the real tragedy is Brexit was never about the EU. We live in a sort of profound age of social and economic injustice which has been largely been caused by decisions that have been made in Westminster not in Brussels. But Brexit was a useful distraction from that fact and I think its one that we’ll come to regret.

Yes after all has been said and done I’ll be happy to never hear the word Brexit again or any other label words that have been concocted up by the media over the past two and a half years. The crashing out, the disaster, the apocalypse, the this the that. So it’s so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye.

Hello the this is E-Jean. I’m from Singapore and I live in Bedworth in the UK. This is a message for Europe. We are leaving the EU, fabulous, but we’re not leaving Europe. And I’m very excited for Britain, full of opportunities int this world ahead. Out of the Eu into the world is what I say. So very happy for…you know very happy to leave. Thank you.

I feel so sad, I don’t want to leave the EU. I feel we should never had been put in this situation by a small group of extreme politicians. I am fearful for the future especially for the the younger generation. I am hoping for the best, I’m still hoping at this late hour that the politicians do what’s best. Just feeling very, very sad.

I feel really sad about Brexit. I didn’t vote for it and I know feel as if I’m trapped on rollercoaster taking me somewhere I don’t want to go. I’ve got two young sons who I feel their option shave become more limited. I’ve got foreign friends who now feel they’re not welcome. I don’t want that, I don’t want people to feel unwelcome here. When are people in the country going to grow up and realise we aren’t that old idea of a great nation anymore. We need each other, we’re all basically the same and we’ll be better if we work together. Thats it

Hi Europe, well today of all todays what can I say. I’m hanging my head in shame, I’m so sorry that this has happened. I’m so sorry that our identities, here in the UK, have been stripped away from us. I feel more European than I do British. It’s just a very, very sad day and I hope that it can all be fixed.

Well hello Europe. I certainly didn’t vote to leave you. My entire life I’ve enjoyed the privilege of being able to travel from place to place without a different passport, without a visa. And I’ve benefited from outward looking points of view rather than an inward looking point of view that is prevalent in the UK now. The UK has decided that it’s going to pursue this despite the fact that the vote was 52/48 and many people didn’t know exactly what they were voting for. It seems

ridiculous that politicians are able to changer their minds but the British people are not. And the second referendum doesn’t seem to be happening. So we’ll probably crash out and I’ll miss you. Thank you for everything. Please don’t look on the rest of the UK in the same way you look on the politicians. Bye.

I’m Jennifer and I’m a European. I am by birth, half Catalan, half Scottish. I have lived and loved in Germany and I’m blessed by friendships stretching from Denmark to Slovakia, Poland to Portugal. I’ve never know a time out of the EU and while I recognise it’s flaws I’m also grateful for the years of peace and friendship it has brought to the European peoples. Two of the UK nations voted to leave, two to stay yet still it has been treated like an overwhelming victory for those wishing to leave. Of these nations Northern Ireland threatens to once again be blighted by civil war. My German husband no longer feels welcome in the UK. Today on the 29th of March, the day I thought we were going to leave, we still don’t know what lies ahead. I just fear for the future of the British people and I am so saddened it has come to this.

Hello, I’m Rachel calling from Italy. I’m just thoroughly disappointed with the level of political debate. Or utter farce, chaos and failure. Such a shame.

That’s all Brexit. Bye bye.

I just want you to know that I didn’t want this. I never wanted this, I did not vote for this. I hate this government and if I could change it I would. I’m not alone. There are so many of us that love you and want to stay a part of the union and we’re really sad.

let’s cancel Brexit let’s move on we’re all so fed up of it. Let’s get on with it and move on and let’s get on with business as usual.

It’s the 29th of March, they day that some people will be rejoicing. And I am not one of them…I apologise for moving here Britain. I apologise for dividing the country, causing so much pain for the 51 percent of you who voted to leave. And I’m sorry for everyone that is fighting to keep me here because I know that sooner or later Great Britain will leave. I just want your forgiveness because I forgive you. For I know there is some good that emerges from this evil. Thank you and the door is always open. For Europe will be stronger together.

If the UK does not leave the EU, that’s Parliaments’ decision not the peoples. And that then says the UK is not a democracy but yet run by the governors of our country.

Hello Europe, this is Patsy from Stock. I’m really sad we didn’t leave today. What a mess up it’s been. I think a bunch of children could’ve done better. Thank you.

Ok this is attempt number 2 I think the other one only lasted for 2 seconds. Firstly I just want to say what an amazing art work this is. It’s so important and much needed and yeah I think it’s absolutely brilliant so I really wanted to take part in it. But I am also very nervous about speaking and public speaking. This is quite a bit public. So Brexit yeah, it makes me feel sick, it makes me feel disappointed. Ever since the vote it has mad eye feel quote queasy and has left a very bad feeling in the bottom of my stomach. It’s very frustrating, it makes me feel sad and scared and actually a bit fearful. It’s the day after Brexit was supposed to happen and I’ve woken up to reports of the pro Brexit rallies outside Parliament yesterday. And it all seems scary looking at all the images and all those people are white. It is about tolerance, well I thought it was about tolerance and diversity and it was an inclusive place that welcomed differences. Brexit seems to be creating the opposite of this. It’s kind of giving a platform to far right extremism regardless of the impact on economy the intricacies of negotiating trade deals and all of the completed details that our politicians are permanently discussing. The biggest concern about Brexit is what it represents and the divisions it represents. I just really want politicians to wake up and listen to what’s being said. There were nearly 6 million people signing to revoke Article 50 on that petition, on the online petition. Nearly 1 million people marching on the 23rd and I imagine many, many wanted to march. I live in Glasgow and I couldn’t get down to the march but we put big signs in our window. Please, so please politicians just listen, what you’re doing is not the will of the people. As things have unfolded things have changed and at the time the vote was only ever advisory. And it was so close there should’ve been a 60 percent thing for something to be actioned. Anyway just please, please stop Brexit. Thank you, bye.

I was 18 years old at the time of the referendum in June 2016. It was my first ever vote. I voted leave. It wasn’t out of hatred it was out of love, love for Britain. This great nation, our ancient island home must not be ruled by any foreign power and that includes a supranational union. The politicians of this country have utterly betrayed us and my faith in democracy is all but destroyed. But Britain will be free and will continue to fight centralised European power, as it always has. Maybe it will take weeks, or months, or years but one day the British lion will roar again. As a great man once said there is no future for the British people which they will find tolerable except as a sovereign, self governing, nation state. Rule Britannia, God save The Queen.

Hi this Dan, a 21 year old from Belfast. And I can’t help but have this overwhelming feeling that we’re being conned. Like somethings going on but like we just have no idea who’s doing it. And the amount of disinformation in the news, it’s too much to keep up with. And there’s no chance for any of us to make sense of it so…I guess for those of us listening in the future, I hope the UK’s still there. And I hope…i just hope that everything’s alright.

Hi Europe, Jacob from Aberdeen here. I just want to say that we’re really sorry. We’re sorry that we’re leaving you all. It’s a really, really awful…it is, it is awful it feels like you know going backwards in terms of where we should be. I’m gonna be really, really sad to you know…leave the

European Union. If there’s anyway we can stay I then hopefully…I think for a lot of us it will be our life work trying to take us back into the European Union and joining you all again so I look forward to that day. But until then, nice to see yas, all best.

Please, please, please just come together. Get a second referendum. People have changed their minds so much either way and the Prime Minister and MPs have changed their minds millions of times on different things. It’s so tiresome, it’s very, very stressful. Our children our asking us for answers. They’re worried about their future…please, please, please…please…second referendum.

Hi my name is Daniel, I’m from Germany. I’ve been living in the UK for 30 years. My belief is that those people who voted to leave will neither be helped but those who are top of the remain campaign, neither will those on top of the leave campaign. I’ve learnt through the Brexit debacle that the problems of this country go back to forgetting those people who were left out for a very long time. When migrants increased I the last 10 years, the pressures of non investment in many regions of the country were felt much more. And to ordinary people it felt as if the blame for that were migrants from a variety of countries. I’m very saddened that Britain got itself in it’s debacle but I’m not surprised. I think the problem is larger than just Britain and think it goes back to the question of how fair and how just developed nations engage with poorer nations. Or even richer nations with less rich nations. We have the means to create a nation that is more equal. Where we stope exploitation and corruption. Where we ensure that proper health care, proper social welfare provisions, job opportunities and alike..and eduction are provided equally everywhere on this globe. And that includes by the way, in the poorer regions of the United Kingdom. It is time for Greta Britain to change its structure, its ways doing things of having intensely privileged people and intenser impoverished people. And arrive forward towards a more equal way of arranging society. And after we do that in Great Britain it should also be done in Europe and with the entire globe. And that is how I see this and what makes me hopeful is that young people that I meet seem to get it. They stand up for environment everywhere on the planet. They understand our united challenges and I think we need a complete different type of way of thinking how to do politics and how to arrange social order. Thank you for listening to me and hopefully we’ll be stronger as brothers and sisters through this process. Bye.

Betrayed by Parliament. By May, Parliament yet again. Get us out of Europe.

Hi. Hi, England. It’s Europe I just want to say I love you and will miss you very much.

I think that the European project has been phenomenal and I’m very sad at the position we are in in the UK. I just want to say that we are all Europeans and I really value the compatriot-ship comradeship and friendship from all across Europe and let’s hope that we can continue to be together.

Right I’m going to make a lovely EU omelette. First of all I’m going to chop up my ingredients. I’ve got tomatoes form Spain. Some peppers from Italy. Nice onion from France, I’m dicing them up nice and small. Not forgetting a few slices of German salami and diced potatoes here from Ireland. Right, I’m gonna mix them all up her now. Now get the lovely colours. Right let’s put them in the greased pan. Slug of olive oil there from Greece and lets turn up the heat. Right now we need something to bind them all together so we’ve got some lovely free range eggs from the EU. EU eggs beep, beep, beep, beep. Right pour the eggs in the pan, so the EU is binding them all together. Right turn up the heat, turn up till it’s nice and golden. Now we’re gonna add some nice Cheddar cheese from the UK. I’ve grated it all up and `i’m sprinkling it all over the omelette. There we go look, lovely. Right now its melting right into the omelette, look at that. Right mixed in now. Right let’s turn up the heat, right up, really really high. Oh god recipe the recipe now says we have to take the UK of out the omelette, that’s what it say. So we’ve got to take the cheese out of the omelette…Jesus Christ.

I don’t want to say goodbye to you I’m very very sad. My mother came from Hungary, she did have to hide in a prop box at the age of 15 because she was escaping the Nazis at the time. However I am still a British, Hungarian, Russian-English Jew and I would like to be connected to Europe. Dear Europe sorry to lose you to the racists bye, bye, bye.

I’m so happy to be here with you.

Hello I’m Hannah and I’m still holding out hope. It might be blind, stupid hope but I’m still holding out hope that it won’t happen. I never thought that in a million years that our would leave…vote to leave. I never thought it would happen and my reaction to it happening was to…well my husband came in the morning a told me and I started punching my pillow, so that was my reaction. But I couldn’t believe it was true, I couldn’t believe it . And I’m still holding out hope and it might be foolish but I’m gonna hang on to it. I don’t really watch the news anymore because I fell that it’s depressing and it’s been hanging over us like a shadow for the past few years now. So yeah, I have the audacity to hope it won’t happen and I’m still hoping.

Hi it’s Martin Clarke I ringing to express support for your project it’s good to have an open dialogue. I’ve always been a great supporter of Britain in Europe, not a great fan of the European Commission but I think we should remain and to reform what goes on in Brussels and in the rest of Europe. So I think he European is good for peace and we should stay in. Good luck.

Hello Europe, I’ve been putting off this call to the last minute hoping for a different outcome, because I really don’t want to leave. I visit you all the time for work and it’s becoming more and more embarrassing, soon it will also be difficult and I’m dreading it. But that’s selfish. More importantly our unity is our best chance for peace and prosperity, it’s modern and forward looking

and now I’m afraid were going backwards and we’ll be isolated. It’s such shame and perhaps even a crime that the leave campaign fed some many peoples prejudices and fears. I’m usually a positive person but this state of affairs has me flummoxed. All I can do is keep hoping that common sense will prevail and lead to a revoke or a revote. I’m afraid I haven’t been clever or made anything rhyme in my message but Damian Corcoran and I urge you to listen to him. And thank you Joe, the concept is brilliant and your sculpture is fabulous…it’s so thoughtful. Thank you Europe, I love you.

Hi, I’m leaving a message at possibly the very last moment which seems to be a theme of this Brexit process. By now I think we’ve been passed two…three deadlines of when Brexit to happen and now its not happening til October. One thing, when I thought about living a message that I thought about, was how right now there’s this strange lull in anyone even talking about Brexit.
Even though it’s still very much looming on the horizon, guess it just goes to show that even British people can only talk and worry about something so much, like we’re kind of at capacity of discussing it. But then when it comes to something like this where like the future of peoples lives hangs int he balance that’s the scary thing. I find it scary how people aren’t talking about it much now because we’re basically bored and that’s when, historically, politicians can push through their scary alternatives when we’re not taking much notice. I’m not sure what the solution is for this but it’s very hard to stay interested in Brexit and that to me is really, really scary. Yeah, bye.

Limbo, in-betweenness, void, non existence, deadlock. The lack of movement forwards or backwards. An intermediate or transitional state. A place of restraint or confinement. A dance played by taking turns crossing under a horizontal bar.

Goodbye Britain. I feel that your islands are drifting a little further away from the continent. Goodbye.

Hello it’s such waste of time, effort and money trying to get of something that’s worked pretty well for over 40 years. So we should just stick with it and good luck to you!