Graham Norton summarised the thoughts of many Brits in hilarious fashion in a talk given to the West Cork Literary Festival in Bantry.
The presenter-come-comedian said a revolution has occurred in the UK, but it didn’t come from the right and it didn’t come from the left, instead “it came from the stupid”.
He said people who voted for Brexit need to “look at their victory parade”, to watch who was “dancing the hardest and shouting the loudest”.
These people, he said more bluntly, had “hitched their wagon to a moron”, in a thinly veiled swipe at UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
It’s not the first time Norton has spoken out about Brexit.
Last year he appeared on The Late Late Show couch with Ryan Tubridy and had some strong thoughts on the “pack of lies” that were told during the referendum.
He said: “I was astonished that people bought the pack of lies they were sold and I feel sorry for the people who voted for it because they were lied to.
“They were promised things that are never going to happen and they were told [about] the things that are now unfolding: ‘oh don’t worry, that won’t happen’.”
Norton also said that even though the economy makes the headlines, it’s the on the youth that is the “most depressing thing”.
“What is great about being young is you’ve so many options. Life – all the doors are open, every door is open.
“What is so sad about Brexit is that people over 60, because it was people over 60 passed that thing, closed so many doors on young people and shut down options.
“Shut down options about studying abroad, living abroad, working in places.
“It just seemed absolutely the wrong instinct.
“Don’t make the world smaller, don’t shut things down.
“I understand where the fear comes from but, actually, I think it is sad,” he said
I’m over 60 and I voted to leave.
But, then I remember our Country before we were Lied to about the EEC.!!
We were told it was for Trade only.?? We were Great Britain and we’re trading across the World.
We still had the freedom to Emigrate if we wanted too. Australia, USA, Canada and New Zealand were screaming for the British to go to live and work there.
We could work in Europe or travel, just meant getting a visa.!! I use to love riding my Motorbike all over Europe, just meant stopping at boarders and showing my passport and getting the necessary visa for a few pounds, which I did at point of entry to each country, no problem.
We were lied to by Ted Heath at the Time, which has now been shown that he was being blackmailed for being gay!
So, Mr Norton says were idiots, yet he is from Ireland and has no idea of reality as far as real life is concerned.
Like so many TV personalities and lives in a bubble.
I’m over 60 and voted remain, I remember this country pre EEC/EU, it was a disaster, rampant inflation, power cust, crap cars and candle shortages, a place where you caught polio on turd infected beaches
Nonetheless, your barely literate, muddle headed, racist and homophobic blurt has pretty much cofirmed his assertion that Brexit is a revolt of the thick.
t burley – you ignorant piece of shit – you xenophobe you – racist arse hole
ROFLAMO. Xenophobe? Racist?
I live in NZ and I can assure you there is and have never been people screaming for the British (“whinging poms”) to go and “live and work there”. To a man and woman just about, all New Zealanders think the poms who voted for Brexit are stark raving bonkers. Since the UK joined the EEC NZ and Australia have forged their own trade agreements from which we are now doing pretty well. We were forced to improve our production and export efficiences and since the 1980s NZ has had no agricultural subsidies which makes our country desirable to trade with when it comes to agreements. Speaking of which, we are much more interested in trading with a large trading bloc like the EU which stole a march on the UK by coming to discuss trade agreements long before the brexit UK suddenly remembered us.
The decision regarding whether we can emigrate to Australia etc is for Australia etc to make,; the EU has no say in that whatsoever and never did, therefore it ain’t the EU’s fault. BTW I’m over 60 and voted clever & informed (ie Remain). In 1975 I believed that the EEC would develop into something like the EU and was delighted to vote Remain then too.
I see you use the word “were screaming” they are not now you will only get in if you have a sponsor,where as we have a right to work anywhere in the EU. The sooner people understand the Empire is gone the better,the fact that you may have a good pension is ok but it is the youth who will suffer and if the economy takes a dive your pension might not be safe
I’m over 70. Bless you and your ignorance, Mr. Burley. I do hope you wake up from your dream of British Empire soon and take a long, hard look around you.
i also remember the 1975 referendum on EEC membership, it was made perfectly clear at the time that the intention of the European project was ever closer political and financial union! We NOT told it was for trade only. Australia etc are certainly not screaming for the British to go and live and work there now – believe it or not but the world has changed and moved on since the 1970s.
if we do leave the EU we will immediately be trying to sort a trade deal with them, but before that process begins we will be required to sort out the Irish border issue to both sides satisfaction, ensure the rights of EU citizens living and working in this country and settle our prior financial commitments with the EU. Only by that time we will be negotiating from an isolated desperate position – guess who will be calling the shots? If you want this country to be a rule taker rather than a rule maker Brexit is the way to go!
“Boarders” typical Brexit spelling! Your post is an appalling load of nonsense. Ted Heath being blackmailed and Graham Norton having no idea of reality – yep the level of stupid is exceedingly high amongst brexiters!
Can you please explain to me how it has come to pass that before joining the European community in the early seventies, the U.K. was known as the sick man of Europe and since membership of that community the U.K. has risen to become the 5th largest economy in the entire world. I look forward to your intelligent and articulate reply.
Not true. Both Heath and Wilson made it clear that it was a political union as well. https://medium.com/@UKIPNFKN/uk-voters-knew-the-1975-referendum-was-about-both-an-economic-political-union-with-the-rest-of-2f565b972cd6
A rant from an ignoramus who wants the empire back, you proved his point. You don’t seem to realise the world has changed but manage to blame any changes you don’t like on the EU. Silly man, it’s never too late to get an education you know.
Not how I remember it. Over 60, a remainer and feeling very sad that you are denying our grandchildren the choices we took for granted. The World has moved on since the 1970s but you have nit
Well I think everybody on here as voted T Burley and the consensus of opinion is 100% that you are an idiot with a very poor memory. You have played right into the hands of Trump and Putin who also want the EU to break up. How does it feel being allied with the likes of Marine Le Pen and the other Fascists party leaders in Europe? Want to go back to the 1930’s? that is where you and your cohorts who want to go back to the good old days are taking us. I am over 60, wasn’t allowed to vote because I am one of the people who embraced the idea of One Europe and moved to France 26 years ago. You have helped endanger the lives and futures of my children and grandchildren. This affects us the most but we have to stand by helpless and let idiots like you decide our future. Hang your head in shame.
When 31st October comes, I hope you still feel so optimistic, but I doubt it.
I am over sixty, I dont know anyone my age and over who chose to leave, we lived in the shadow, or full on war, we understood United is always best…. I believe it was rigged, the bbbc helped. Both boris johnson and nigel Farage are puppets of the stupid.
I am over 60 and I voted to remain. I too remember UK before we joined EEC. We were on a three day working week because we didn’t have enough electricity to serve the country. We had regular blackouts on a rota system. Unions were calling strikes all the time – they had to in order to fight for workers’ rights. We couldn’t bury our dead and rubbish was piled everywhere. We were an inward looking, narrow minded community. The London government hoarded wealth in south east ignoring the needs of the regions – particularly those in need of urban regeneration. The relationship between the 4 countries of the UK was tenuous to say the least. UK in EU has helped all 4 nations to get along better. EU redistributes the funding UK contributes and shares it out around UK a more equitable fashion. Being part of EU has had a civilising effect on UK. Most importantly, EU has maintained peace in Europe for an unprecedented 70 years.
top marks to you.
Well said, Laraine. I’m over 60, my husband’s over 70, my neighbour’s over 80 and we are all sure the EEC / EU did and continues to do a great deal on behalf of the (now) 28 countries that are part of that union, partly because we can remember the 3-day week and electricity blackouts back in the early 70s. Leavers seem to think of the EU as an evil entity, whereas we think of it as a big group of people all trying to work together, with remarkably few bureaucrats for the size of the community! For heaven’s sake, why are we even thinking of throwing away 40 years’ work?
Well said!! I too am over 60 (actually over 70) and voted Remain also my husband and we agree with every word that you say.
I’m over 60 and well remember the referendum back in the ’70’s: joining Europe was the obvious thing to do then and nothing has changed – if anything those same reasons have become even stronger. As for the fear of being part of a ‘federal state’, I would rather be part of the decision making group of countries that will discuss that option, and possibly choose to reject or proceed, than a victim sitting in the sidelines having to put up with whatever is thrown at us.
The EU is not perfect – I have my doubts about some aspects of the way it operates – but these doubts are far outweighed by the advantages of membership. I also understand the despair a lot of people feel about their own situation after nine years of austerity, which has hit the poorest people hardest. But that despair has been shamelessly weaponised by the people who stand the most to gain from Brexit. Blaming the EU for our situation is ludicrous, and ‘taking our country back’ is a vacuous statement which means precisely nothing. But even if you don’t understand the economics, Graham Norton is right – you only have to look at the people behind the Leave campaign to know that you wouldn’t want to be in their gang.
Pauline – no-one can argue with that. Absolute time-saver. Why voting Leave is a bad idea: “You only have to look at the people behind the Leave campaign to know that you wouldn’t want to be in their gang”!
I can’t believe people don’t remember the 3 day week which bought so much hardship. Or the rolling blackouts but not using candles unless really necessary. I remember yet I was a kid. Sick man of europe is why when you look back at sit com’s at the time they are all hoping they do get in the EEC saying positive stuff about no more strikes and more rights. Britain fought really hard not to clean beaches but that was one of the 4% of times it never got it’s way. We used to dodge the turds whilst swimming in the sea and have to have a bath the instant we got home. Remember surfers against sewerage. And you know why were so rich now? Because we can’t be bullied into deals that are bad for British businesses or Britain. I’m afraid austerity was used as a weapon and people given the EU as a target. Trouble is it’s the wrong target. You know that bonfire of regulations? It’s not the ones you think. Look at what the leave people have said about british workers and the NHS. Every single one of them. I don’t blame anyone for voting out but if you haven’t checked out what you actually voted for by now(by going direct and also looking at these people’s speeches pre ref not newspapers and blogs)) then that is foolish. How do we fight on an even keel with USA or China alone when we are already being held to ransom by Taiwan? We can’t even join WTO unless every country agrees
I am over 60, voted remain. At a total loss of the brexit at all costs brigade. the only people I know who voted leave are all retired, on pensions, dont seem to care about any one else having a job, career or future and funnily enough FOUR of them actually have holiday homes in Spain !! talk about thick as pig proverbial !
I’m another over 60 who voted remain. I’m thinking of the future of our children and the peace we have enjoyed with European countries all working together. Most of the quitters hark back to the past and want it to return – I don’t!