While I would love to just count today as another day, as the end of the long month of January, I would be feigning ignorance. Today the United Kingdom left the European Union – ultimately it’s a part of history I’m witnessing, so of course I was going to write about it.

Today I feel incredibly sad and let down. I feel anxious about the future of my country, worried for those in it who are vulnerable because I cannot and will not see this as a victory. People voted for uncertainty, they also voted for promises that were uncovered to be lies.

I have people in my life on both sides of the vote, that I love and care about. While we might not see eye to eye, everyone is entitled to an opinion and a vote. What bothers me is that those in government that mislead the public have not been held to account. What bothers me is when hate and division was used in a campaign that should have been educated and informed.

Mostly I want my international friends to know that I am sorry for the fact you’ve had to apply for ‘settled status’, that you’ve had to hear rhetoric about ‘taking back Britain’. In my experience those who have chosen to come and live and work in this country are intelligent and wonderful people giving to our society.

I hope that this doesn’t drive division even further. That we can still stand together against those who will used this for prejudice or hate. I hope that the good in people will overcome.

I am still European and nothing will change that.